Stalling For Time
by Jenny wrens
Summary: Most of the senior crew of SeaQuest have been taken hostage during a U.E.O Summit conference. Terrorist, Syed Dosa, wants his leader released, and he's killing hostages every hour until his demands are met. Will our favourite crew survive? (Part of my four-part series)
1. Chapter 1

"Why do girls always travel to the washroom in a posse?" whispered 15 year old, Lucas Wolenczak, as he leaned in closer to his good friend and the procurement officer of SeaQuest, Ben Krieg. Lucas watched as Ben shrugged and smirked at him. Lt. Commander Katie Hitchcock and Dr. Kristin Westphalen had just recently excused themselves from the table and three other ladies Lucas didn't know had followed suit. SeaQuest's senior staff were all in attendance at an UEO summit in Florida and were currently attending a formal dinner. Lucas yanked at the tie around his neck and fidgeted uncomfortably. He hated these kind of formal events with a passion. He couldn't wait until he could be excused to his room for the evening.

"Better men before us have asked the same question, kid. Maybe they need moral support."

"Moral support for what?"

"How am I supposed to know? I've never been in a woman's bathroom before. Maybe they have ESPN in there."

Lucas shook his head and rolled his eyes at his friend. He fidgeted some more as he picked at the fancy food on his plate. He couldn't imagine anything more boring than sitting through fifty different speakers all tooting their own horns about the wonderful advancements they had made towards making the world a better place. Lucas stifled a yawn and leaned against his elbow. The crew and guests were absorbed in small talk which was about as interesting as watching paint dry. He heard his name mentioned a few times, but he didn't bother to tune into the conversation enough to find out the context. It was beginning to all fade out of his level of consciousness as he found himself daydreaming about the new car magazine he'd picked up at the news stand on the way to the Summit. He'd been wanting the magazine for months and finally had the opportunity to purchase one of his own. Unfortunately, the captain had refused him permission to bring it along to browse at during the dinner. The stuffy, stodgy event was starting to wear thin on him. Lucas wiggled his knee up and down impatiently. His movement accidently disturbed the glasses of water on the table.

"Stop fidgeting, Lucas," whispered Tim, who was sitting on his other side. Lucas watched as a few of the crew tossed napkins on the table to catch the spills from their water glasses. Lucas looked at Tim with a morose look and heaved a weary sigh. "Have you even bothered to listen to any of the speakers? That last guy wasn't all that boring." Lucas could hear a small bit of admonishment in the communication officer's voice. Lucas groaned in response.

"I'd rather do a ship-wide diagnostic, Tim, than sit here any longer. I'm gonna lose my mind." Lucas saw Tim smile at him sympathetically but then turned his attention to Miguel. Lucas reached into his pocket, pulling out a few sticks of gum and popping them into his mouth absentmindedly. He leaned back in his chair thinking about his conversation with Nick the night before leaving for the Summit. Nick Andrews was one of his closest friends. They had met on Node 3, and having survived the stressful situation with Mycroft, they ended up forming a close bond. Nick had been sharing some of his latest escapades. Nick was just as fascinated with computers and technology as Lucas, and it sure sounded like Nick was having more fun than he. Lucas heard himself groan again. Just about anything else sounded like fun other than sitting through the lame UEO dinner event.

A round of applause was heard throughout the room as Lucas continued to daydream and chomp on gum. He looked up to see another grey-haired man take the podium. Lucas slumped down in his chair further wishing the floor would open up and swallow him. He blew an enormous bubble until the room disappeared. He purposely held the bubble there looking around the room, inwardly snickering at how everything looked pink. He jumped when someone popped the bubble, and the gum stuck to his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Captain Bridger frowning at him and making a gesture that clearly meant to dispose of the gum. Lucas looked away as he pulled the gum off his face and shoved it back into his mouth.

"Get rid of the gum," hissed Jonathan, who was sitting beside Tim. Lucas scowled at him when he realised that it had been Jonathan who had actually burst his bubble. Lucas groaned irritably and rose to his feet.

"Please excuse me," he said quietly as he left the table. Curious eyes followed him as he escaped the room quickly.

Opening the back doors, the cool air hit him in the face, and he breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the stuffy room. He glanced around to see the outer foyer devoid of any people. It was peaceful and serene, and Lucas was thankful. Lucas sat down on one of the cosy sofas in the foyer and rested his head lazily. Now if he could only stay hidden from everyone until the dull formal dinner was finished. He pulled out some ear phones, shoved them into his ears and closed his eyes, hoping that no one would see him and drag him back into the suffocating room. He jumped when he felt a hand touch his head. He looked up to see Dr. Westphalen smiling at him. Lucas had to admit that the doctor looked stunning in her navy blue evening dress she had chosen for the occasion. She cleaned up much better than he did.

"Hi, Doc," he murmured, feeling his face flush. He really didn't want to hear a lecture and gave her a small pleading look. As much as he hated being referred to as the baby-faced kid, part of him hoped that that so-called cuteness Ben always referred to would get him a reprieve. He watched as the doctor sat beside him and fished inside her purse for something. Pulling out what looked like an USB stick, she handed it to him with a mock stern look.

"You should be properly paying attention to those stellar speakers, young man, rather than hiding out here listening to God knows what on that phone of yours." Lucas saw her wink at him sympathetically. She leaned in close to him. "I'm a tad bored as well. Listening to all those military stuffed shirts tooting their horns is enough to put people of the higher intellect into a coma," she whispered with a smirk.

Lucas snickered. "What's this?" He saw her smile at him warmly.

"I saw some public computers down the hall. Why don't you take a look at what's on that stick. It might be more intriguing to your neural pathways." She patted his knee as she rose to her feet. "Don't worry; I'll cover for you with Nathan." Lucas gave her a grateful smile and watched as she disappeared back into the conference room.

Lucas sauntered down the hallway taking in the sights of the luxurious hotel. Turnbury Isle was one of the largest and most prominent conference centres in the United States. The UEO was pulling out all the stops for this Summit, likely trying to impress the shareholders and hoping to establish new funding to build a better support system for their vision. Lucas had to admit he had very little interest in the military aspect. He would have preferred to focus on the scientific facets; at least that was useful and interesting. He approached the corner and smiled when he saw some public computers ahead. He felt like he would be forever grateful for Dr. Westphalen and her understanding of his curiosity of all things science. He made a mental note to do something special for her once they returned to SeaQuest. One of the best parts of being on SeaQuest was working with her and her impeccable science team. While part of him did enjoy being on the bridge and in the thick of the excitement, his heart was drawn in by all the scientific experiments and discoveries. SeaQuest as a research vessel made just as much of a difference as it did as a peacekeeping vessel. There was no doubt about that.

Lucas sat down at the computer and switched it on. He felt himself relax as he waited for the system to boot up and come online. He'd managed to hide his laptop in his luggage, but since he was sharing a room with Captain Bridger, he hadn't had a minute to himself since they arrived earlier that morning. As the computer readied itself, Lucas inserted the drive and clicked on the folder marked 'For Lucas' eyes only', eagerly anticipating something to pique his interest. He became so quickly engrossed in what he saw that he didn't hear the person come up behind him until he was tapped on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the UEO Summit Conference?" Lucas startled, swinging around to see a tall, blonde-haired man in his late twenties smiling down at him. Lucas felt like he knew the man or had at least seen him before.

Lucas stood up quickly, trying to place the face which felt vaguely familiar to him. "Yah, sure. Just head down the corridor, hang a left, and the conference room is the first door on the right." The man hesitated, smiling at him as he glanced down at the computer which had loaded a screen of information on Cetology. Lucas glanced back at it in fascination as well, recognising information directly related to Darwin, but then he minimized the screen and forced himself to focus on the man in front of him. He couldn't figure out why the man looked so familiar to him.

"Interesting choice of study. Are you part of the Summit?"

Lucas shook his head and laughed. "No, no, not me. I'm just one of the lucky guests."

The man held out his hand with a warm smile. "My name is Mitch Brady. I'm a scientist from Berkeley." Lucas' attention perked up at the information as he shook the man's hand. He searched his mind for some kind of recognition regarding the man but still nothing came to him. He did find himself, however, wondering why one of top environmental science universities in the world would be sending one of their own to a UEO Summit that was supposed to be focussed on peace keeping.

"I'm Lucas Wolenczak. I wasn't aware they'd be a science component to the Summit. So far it's just been all about…"

"Military?"

Lucas smirked and nodded; clearing his throat, he did his best to mimic one of the speakers of the evening, "The fight for land rages on, but now the oceans have become the last unclaimed territory. Man's race into the seas to harvest it's riches of food and minerals brings new conflicts, and a new alliance of nations to deal with it. But old power does not give way easily to new order, and the mandate of the United Earth/Oceans Organization to maintain peace is about to be tested at its highest level." Lucas saw Mitch laugh at his imitation.

"Impressive. I can tell this isn't your first rodeo with the UEO."

Lucas shook his head. "Hardly. So, uh, what exactly brought you to this Summit?" Lucas hoped to get some inside information about the scientific feature of the Summit that seemed to have escaped Dr. Westphalen knowledge since she'd never mentioned it to him. He saw Mitch hesitate a moment as he glanced at his watch.

"Let me guess. Classified?"

Lucas tried not to show the annoyance on his face as he emphasised the word classified. It was one of the worst words in existence in his opinion, and Captain Bridger used it a little too often for his liking. He saw Mitch attempt to stifle a laugh.

"No, it's not classified. Well, it was but as of this morning, it was lifted for this Summit. My department has been studying some of the marine life in the North Atlantic over the past nine months, and we've had a few concerns about some of the newer colonies in the vicinity. We speculate that there's been some dumping of toxins into the ocean. I've been sent to report our findings." Lucas' eyes widened at the information. If what Mitch was saying was true, he felt sure SeaQuest would be assigned to research it more in depth after the Summit. The thought of that excited him, but he didn't allow that to show on his face.

"Any plant or marine life affected? Have you determined the source of the toxin?" Lucas couldn't help but dig for more information.

"Well, I'm going to discuss it more in depth tomorrow, but I can share this much with you now. We've found several toxins, but a few of particular interest are Toxoplasma and Microcystin." Lucas felt his jaw drop as he searched his mind for reasons behind why those toxins would be present in the ocean. It was obvious that they could only be directly related to the new colonies.

"Cyanbacteria? I would have thought after all these years and all the advancements we've made, people would be smart enough to know better."

Mitch looked at him with renewed interest. "The dolphins and otters are being poisoned. We've even had some reports of people in the outlying areas coming down with some mysterious illnesses from eating the local fish."

"Three-fourths of all emerging infectious diseases of humans are zoonotic and their incidence is increasing," muttered Lucas, forgetting himself. He glanced up to see Mitch looking at him in wonder.

"Yes, exactly. Many of the diseases gaining a foothold in the ocean could eventually affect people. A virus could mutate in a marine mammal, jump back to people, and mutate again into a more powerful or deadly strain. This hasn't happened yet, but there have been close calls."

Lucas felt himself smile as he continued chatting with Mitch. The man hadn't stopped to ask him once who he was or why he knew so much about science. He just seemed content to talk with him. For once, he didn't feel like the annoying kid at this conference, and Mitch wasn't looking down on him like he was one either.

"These new colonies should realise that what they release into the ocean is just fodder for pandemics." Lucas saw Mitch nod and shake his head.

"I have to admit I'm impressed, Lucas. I haven't had such an intelligent conversation with someone as young as you in a very long time. What grade are you in school? Ninth or tenth?"

"I guess I have a confession to make," admitted Lucas, with a grin. "I'm a graduate from Stanford." Lucas eyed Mitch as he digested the admission. It never got old to Lucas to see the looks of awe he received when people realised he wasn't just a dumb kid.

A warm smile spread across Mitch's face, and he laughed. "Well, I'm still fascinated at your keen interest and intelligence. I hope we will find more time to chat during the Summit."

In that moment, as Mitch and Lucas were deep in conversation, several shots rang out across the foyer. Both of them froze immediately in dazed astonishment and stared blankly at each other. Shouts and screams filled the air, and Lucas felt his blood run cold. The noise was coming from the conference room. Without thinking, he started running towards the commotion. He felt a firm hand grip his arm, stopping him from going any further.

"Lucas, wait!" He turned to see Mitch holding his arm tightly. "Slow down, alright? Let's keep our wits about us here." Lucas tried to pull his arm away, but Mitch firmly held his ground.

"Let me go, Mitch. Those were gunshots!"

More shots were fired and more screaming could be heard down the hallway. Lucas felt Mitch pull him to the floor.

"Calm down! Listen to me a minute. Think, Lucas! How is running into the room half-cocked and getting yourself shot going to help the situation?" Lucas sighed knowing that the man was right. He just felt so helpless not knowing what was happening or if anyone was hurt. Why would someone be shooting? What was going on in that room? Lucas felt his heart racing in his chest. He heard Mitch heave a heavy sigh.

"Lucas, can you tell me who's in attendance? Any dignitaries? UEO big wigs?" Lucas felt his face go red. He hadn't bothered to pay much attention to who the speakers of the evening were. He'd been so busy being bored and irritated that he'd pretty much tuned everything out.

"I can't say for sure. I do know most of the heads of the UEO are in attendance though, as well as Admiral Noyce and Captain Bridger of course."

"Bridger of SeaQuest?"

"Yah, why?"

Lucas frowned as he watched a wave of uneasiness wash over Mitch's face. Lucas had yet to fully introduce himself to his new friend. He'd enjoyed speaking with the man, but he hadn't wholly trusted him enough to divulge anything too personal about himself. More shrill screams brought his attention back to the present situation. He felt himself tremble, not knowing what to do. He stayed squatted down against the wall as security and military police started swarming the building. Mitch continued holding his arm tightly as they watched helplessly from the sidelines.

_OoOoOoO_

Nathan heard himself sigh as he watched Lucas hurry from the room. He could tell the teenager was bored out of mind with the events of the evening thus far. Nathan didn't blame him. He'd already stifled several yawns himself. The rousing list of speakers hadn't exactly been drawing people in with their stimulating conversation surrounding the new peacekeeping treaties. It felt like the same ole same ole to Nathan. A bunch of conjecture was all it was. As long as the colonies kept vying for more control in the outlying areas, things were going to continue to stay heated no matter what the UEO thought. SeaQuest had been commissioned to keep the peace at all costs. Nathan understood that, but he didn't like it. He hadn't been the least bit impressed when the Secretary General had ordered the commission. The only benefit he could see in it was the freedom of the science department to look into the spread of toxins in the area. Reports had been coming in about marine life being poisoned by toxins. Some people had come down with some deadly illnesses as a result; so far, two adults had died. It was getting very serious. Nathan hadn't been at liberty to share any of that with anyone up to this point. Everything had been highly classified up until that morning. He had wanted to find some time to discuss it with Kristin but hadn't found the time as of yet.

Nathan caught movement out the corner of his eye and smiled when he saw Kristin enter the room once more. She looked fantastic in the navy evening dress she had chosen for the event. Nathan often forgot what a beautiful woman Kristin Westphalen was. It seemed like they both got so caught up in work that they forgot to look past their jobs and see the person behind the uniform. Tonight, Nathan was seeing Kristin in a whole different light. She looked gorgeous. He rose to his feet as she approached the table. She gave him a stunningly sweet smile as she sat down and leaned into him.

"I gave Lucas a reprieve, Nathan. He needed to escape."

Nathan smirked. "I need to escape. Where's my reprieve, Doctor?" Nathan saw Kristin put a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Nathan smirked as Jonathan cleared his throat quietly. Nathan cast him a sideways glance seeing a look of distress on his first in command's face and saw him point a finger at the podium. The Admiral had taken the platform with a grim look on his face. Nathan shifted in his chair in concern as he noticed several armed men standing behind Bill. Frowning at the sight, Nathan started to rise from his chair. He felt a hand pulling him down.

"Captain," whispered Jonathan. "Look at their uniforms." Nathan furrowed his brow as he took a closer look at the men standing beside his good friend, Bill. He felt his blood go cold as it dawned on him who the men were. The room continued to be loud as people pleasantly visited, not noticing the impending threat or that the Admiral had taken the stand. Nathan watched as Bill tapped on the microphone, clearing his throat loudly to gain the room's attention.

"May I have your attention, Ladies and Gentlemen?"

Nathan glanced around the room as people continued to talk. It was past 8pm, and it was noticeable that people had grown weary of the constant speeches. Nathan heard a few gasps from behind him as a few people saw what was going on, but it had become more difficult to capture attention. Nathan's eyes opened wide when he saw a tall, lanky severe-looking man raise his gun into the air and fire off a round of shots. Screams of horror filled the room as people dropped to the floor in terror. Nathan felt Kristin grasp his hand tightly; her hand was cold with fear. He patted her hand calmly to reassure her. Nathan cast a glance at Jonathan and could see the same thoughts going through his commander's head as were going through his own. Identify the enemy, determine his objectives and counter his plan. Nathan zeroed in on the uniform, squinting to make out the emblem. It was difficult to see without his glasses, but he recognised it. The People's Liberation Army. Their leader was Ibrahim Singh, and he and his brother both had been a thorn in the UEO's side since the beginning. Just recently, Singh's brother had been apprehended for his part in a terrorist attack on UEO headquarters. Abdul Singh had been sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your seats," replied the gunman who Nathan recognised at Syed Dosa, Singh's right hand man. He sounded diplomatic enough, but Nathan knew exactly how treacherous the man was. He wouldn't hesitate to kill in a heartbeat. "You'll all be safe if you follow my instructions. Now, kindly sit down and _shut up_!"

Nathan chewed the inside of his lip as he watched chaos ensue. He could hear women crying and others mumbling in fear, but few people moved to obey the command. Nathan looked at Jonathan and Miguel who nodded in understanding. They needed to establish order or things were going to spin out of control quickly. Nathan watched as his two men rose to their feet slowly, holding their hands above their heads.

"My name is Commander Jonathan Ford of SeaQuest. This is her Sensor Chief Miguel Ortiz. Please allow us to help gain control." Nathan cringed as Dosa held his gun in the air again and fired more shots, causing more frightened screams to ring out. He saw terrified tears in Kristin's eyes, and he held her hand tightly to help comfort her. Rising to his feet, he ushered everyone in his area to sit down. Jonathan and Miguel travelled around the room encouraging others to do the same.

"I find my way of order to be just as effective, Commander," replied Dosa with an eerie smirk on his face. Nathan saw the look of fear in Bill's eyes as Dosa and several of his men aimed guns at his head.

Dosa pointed his gun menacingly at the crowd of frightened people. "My name is Syed Dosa of the People's Liberation Army. Several weeks ago, one of our leaders, Abdul Singh was taken hostage. We want him back. As soon as we receive news that he has been released, we will let you go."

Dosa shoved the gun towards Noyce. "Make it happen, Admiral, or I start shooting hostages." Nathan saw Bill cast him a meaningful look.

Nathan took that moment to speak up. "My name is Captain Nathan Bridger of SeaQuest, Mr. Dosa. I recognise you and your little group of mercenaries. Why don't you let everyone go, and save yourself the hassle? You know that the UEO does not negotiate with terrorists."

Dosa's cynical laugh rang out across the room

"Well, well, thee Captain Bridger, the UEO's golden boy." He clucked his tongue, disgust on his face. "Double bonus for me. Your ship will do us quite nicely on our mission." Nathan saw Dosa motion to his men to bring him closer. Nathan felt Kristin's hand grow tighter on his. He patted her hand gently, giving her a smile of assurance. As he pulled his hand away, he saw Ben wrap a protective arm around her in comfort. Nathan nodded his appreciation as he was ushered to the front of the room.

"You can't have SeaQuest," stated Nathan firmly as he was made to stand beside Admiral Noyce at gunpoint.

Dosa laughed. "You underestimate me, Captain. You can make this simple, or you can make it difficult. It makes no difference to me." Dosa looked around the room with a smirk. "I have about 200 hostages here that tell me I can have anything I want." Nathan saw Dosa motion to another one of his cronies. Seconds later, more gunshots rang out and three men lay dead on the floor in a pool of blood. The room again filled with screams as people began to cry out in panic. "Oh dear, perhaps I miscounted, 197." Dosa gave Nathan an unnerving look, and Nathan pursed his lips in anger. As usual Ibrahim Singh had outdone himself with choosing his lackeys; men with no conscience or compassion for human life. Nathan and Bill shared a look, each knowing full well that things were going to get ugly. As Nathan looked out at his crew, he heard Bill call his superiors at UEO headquarters. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he thought about what the response would be. He'd been a military man long enough to know how terrorists were dealt with. None of the men would leave the building alive.

"You had better start working on getting Abdul released, Admiral. I want a vid-link ready as well. In one hour, we will execute the next hostages if our demands have not been met." Nathan could see Dosa skimming the room, searching for his next victims. "Antef," Dosa called forward one of his men. "Pick three of the women for our next demonstration."

_OoOoOoOoO_

Lucas raked a hand through his hair anxiously as he jiggled his knee up and down, desperately trying to release some of his nervous energy. The whole building had been placed on lockdown. Non-essential people had been evacuated from the building. Mitch had led him outside to a picnic table close by where they had sat down. Lucas was trying to keep himself calm and his imagination from taking over.

"You, ok?"

"I'm fine; you don't need to babysit me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm not babysitting you, Lucas. I just figured you might need a friend about as much as I do right now. I'm sure you're as worried about your parents as I am about my colleagues."

Lucas ignored the part about his parents. He simply didn't want to explain who he was to anyone at the moment. He was too worried about the crew, who for all intents and purposes was his family. He saw Mitch look worriedly towards the entrance.

"I'm sorry about your friends, Mitch."

Mitch turned to look at him with a sympathetic smile. "Thanks; I got a little lost getting to the conference centre," he explained, "they texted me to say they'd arrived early." Lucas could tell that Mitch was as concerned and upset as he was. Lucas sucked in his lip sharply, feeling his anxiety increase. He didn't know what to say to his new friend. It felt bad enough to him that he didn't know anything that was happening. His imagination was far too creative to be left on its own for long. He could feel panic starting to escalate within him as he swallowed hard to keep his emotions in check.

"Lucas!"

Lucas turned towards the familiar voice and gasped in relief when he saw Commander Hitchcock rush up to him with a thankful look on her face.

"Commander!"

"Lucas, I'm so glad you're safe!"

Although, he was equally glad to see her unharmed, Lucas felt himself blush somewhat when Katie pulled him into a hug. Although, he did have to admit that his nerves relaxed a bit just by her presence.

"How'd you get out?"

Lucas pulled away. "I slipped out just after you and Dr. Westphalen excused yourselves."

Katie nodded in understanding. "I took a moment to call my parents; when I went to return to the dinner, I heard the gunshots," explained Katie. Lucas could see the tension and apprehension in her clear blue eyes. Lucas heard Mitch clear his throat softly and remembered he was there.

"Commander, this is my friend, Mitch Brady. He's a scientist from Berkeley." Lucas saw Mitch offer his hand to Katie who shook it kindly. Lucas could sense her distraction as she kept one eye focussed on the side door. "Mitch, this is Lt. Commander Katie Hitchcock of SeaQuest."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Brady."

"Likewise, Commander," replied Mitch. Lucas smirked as noticed how charmed Mitch seemed to be by Katie. It didn't surprise him as people were often captivated by her beauty and stunning crystal clear blue eyes upon meeting her. Lucas remembered having his own crush on her when he'd first come onboard SeaQuest. Over time, the crush had changed to a deep sense of admiration and respect. "SeaQuest is an impressive vessel with an equally remarkable science department. I've read about some of the phenomenal work being done."

Katie smiled and nodded quietly. Lucas knew that she was searching and strategizing in her mind for ideas on how to proceed and wasn't focussed on what Mitch was saying. The commander wasn't one to just sit around and wait for something to happen. While she was content to follow protocol, Katie would want to know what was happening and how things were going to play out.

"Lucas, stay here, alright? I'm going to find out what's going on."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, Lucas. I need to know you're safe. I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I do."

"I'll stay with him," interrupted Mitch. Lucas scowled at him, irritation obvious on his face. He'd known the man for less than an hour, and suddenly he was offering to babysit. Lucas felt his frustration well up inside him.

"I don't need a babysitter!"

Katie sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me, Lucas; I don't have time to explain right now, but I believe this might be related to the terrorist attack at the UEO headquarters a few weeks ago."

Lucas felt his heart racing in his chest. Two people had been killed in that attack, and the captain had been so distraught and closed mouth about it. He had refused to share anything about it with Lucas, pulling his standard 'it's classified' excuse.

"What makes you think that?"

"I'll explain later. I need to see if I can find Commander Sheppard." Lucas sighed and hoped his panic wouldn't increase when she left. His imagination was already thinking the worst, and her presence had made him feel noticeably calmer. As if Katie could read his thoughts, she placed a hand on his arm. "Don't let your mind play tricks on you, Lucas; take those thoughts captive. Captain Bridger is a smart man. You and I both know that! Remember when you told me what Jonathan said to you when Schraeder hijacked SeaQuest? Let that fear work for you." Lucas swallowed as he took in Katie's words. He was trying to remain calm, but it was more difficult for some reason when he was by himself.

She turned to face Mitch. "Thanks for staying with him. He's been through a lot lately." Lucas saw Mitch nod his head, seeming to understand what she was referring to. It only served to confuse and irritate him further.

Katie patted Lucas' arm kindly and disappeared into the crowd of people milling around. Lucas felt his anxiety increase immediately as he lost sight of her. He forced himself to take a deep breath, and he looked at Mitch who was staring into the crowd with his own worried expression.

"It's okay if you leave, Mitch. I really don't need you to stay with me."

Mitch smiled at him. "If you don't mind very much, I'd like to stay with you. I'm shaken up myself." Lucas nodded and continued fidgeting nervously. He knew that if Commander Sheppard was here, things were really bad and likely very much directly correlated with some kind of terrorists. Lucas had only met Commander Sheppard one other time and that was after Schraeder had commandeered SeaQuest.

"I know we just met, Lucas, but I feel like we have a common bond right now. Does that sound lame?"

Lucas shook his head. "I guess not." If he was to be honest with himself, Lucas had to admit he was grateful for the companionship.

"The commander said you've had a rough time lately. Anything you can talk about?"

Lucas shrugged. "It's nothing I can't handle." He knew the man was just making idle small talk to try and distract him. Lucas just didn't feel like talking much.

"So, how did you get lucky enough to get a hug from that gorgeous commander?" Lucas looked up to see Mitch smirking at him which made Lucas laugh despite his growing anxiety.

"I've known Katie for a while now. I guess you could say that she's like my older sister."

"Well, Lucas, is your older sister dating anyone?"

Lucas laughed as he fidgeted, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans. "Not exactly, but I know her heart still belongs to her ex-husband, and I know the feelings are mutual." Lucas saw Mitch feign a broken-hearted look which made him laugh again.

"Sounds convoluted."

"Pretty much. It's complicated plus it's not exactly protocol to be in a relationship while serving on the same vessel."

"Yeah, I can understand that. So, how did you get to know so much about crew members on SeaQuest anyways? Is one of your parents a crew member?"

"Something like that." Lucas didn't feel like explaining things to Mitch. He didn't feel like making small talk anymore either. As much as he appreciated that Mitch was trying to distract him, he was getting too agitated waiting and not knowing. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to wait around in the dark. Lucas stood up and started pacing. He could feel Mitch's eyes following him as he strode back and forth wringing his hands. He felt his anxiety increase until he felt like he would implode.

"I can't take this!" he shouted. "I'm going to find out what's going on!" Lucas started to head towards the doors, but he felt a strong arm stop him. He twirled around angrily and glared at Mitch. "Lemme go!"

"Lucas, I can't do that. Look, I know you don't know me very well yet, but I'm the adult here and you're not thinking straight. Your friend, Commander Hitchcock told you to stay put, and I told her I would watch out for you. One thing you will learn about me is I'm a man of my word." Lucas glared at him, feeling his anger brewing hot. His rational thought was quickly leaving him. He wasn't going to sit by and be treated like a child when he could be using his skills to help the captain.

"And you don't know me very well either, Mitch! I'm not some dumb kid. Help me or let me the hell go!" Lucas glowered at the man, daring him to interfere again. He felt Mitch's grip on his arm loosen.

"Help you do what?"

"Get me to a computer and you'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

Nathan heard Bill groan irritably as he spoke with the Secretary General on the vid-link. Both of them knew that it was futile to be speaking with anyone higher up in the UEO right now as they would have very little say in how things would play out. The UEO Summit had civilians in attendance, and the situation was going to fall into the hands of the other organizations, not just the UEO. They were up world and that meant the FBI and SWAT teams would have a say in matters. By now, people in charge, including the president, would know of the hostage situation and would start the necessary protocols. They were simply going through the motions as best as possible, hoping to appease Dosa and hopefully stall for more time. Nathan had been around long enough to know what he needed to do on his end. Dosa was not rational, and Nathan was going to need to keep his wits about him in order to keep some measure of control. Nothing was going to happen within the allotted hour, and Nathan felt his heart racing at the thought of three more people dying senselessly. Dosa had glanced at his watch numerous times over the past fifteen minutes, and it was obvious he was going to keep impeccable time on his demands.

"What's taking so long, Admiral? You've been talking for nearly an hour. Our demands are not that difficult. A well-fueled helicopter can pick up Abdul and drop him at the coordinates I have given you. Do I really need to kill more hostages?" Nathan saw the three women sitting in chairs by the podium, crying and looking distraught. Dosa's men had walked around the room and chosen three women at random. Two of ladies' companions had been seriously injured in their attempt to protect them. Nathan had been grateful that Jonathan and Miguel had stopped the third man from retaliating. Most of the guests in the audience at the Summit were supporters, UEO civilians and scientists. All of them were innocent bystanders. Other than the crew of SeaQuest, no other military people were in attendance.

"We need more time, Mr. Dosa!" insisted Nathan, careful to keep his voice calm and even. "Even the president can't get to Air Force One in an hour. Be reasonable!" _Remain calm. Actively engage and listen._

Dosa rose to his feet, making a show of stretching his legs after sitting for so long. He scowled at Nathan with a look of disdain on his face. "Bridger, was the UEO reasonable when they shot my brother down in cold blood?" Nathan's jaw dropped. He was aware that several of the gunmen who attacked UEO headquarters had been shot and killed. He hadn't known their names. If Dosa's brother was one of them, things were even worse than he anticipated. Dosa would be out for revenge and not just content to get his leader released.

"No one cared when they pulled the trigger and stole his life. Did you know he left behind a wife and four children, Bridger? His name was Haman Dosa, and he was a good man, dammit! The UEO doesn't give a damn about anything but their self-seeking policies. We just want to create our own destiny, our own government and live our lives in peace. We're sick to death of the lies the UEO perpetuates daily. And you, captain, people like YOU make me sick! You sail around in your pretty little boat, pretending like you're making a difference while my children starve." Nathan heard the venom in the man's voice as he continued to glare. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain unemotional and actively listen to the man. _Listen to him, acknowledge what he's saying, don't evaluate or disagree._

"I'm sorry about your brother, Mr. Dosa. I wasn't aware of that. Do you want to tell me what happened?" _Hear what he is saying. Pay attention to the emotions. Quiet his inner voice._ Nathan saw a confused look fill the man's face as he couldn't hide his surprise in Nathan's empathetic response. For several seconds, a deep shattered look crossed the man's face before he shook it off. The man continued staring at him, and Nathan could tell that his response had been unexpected.

"You may think we are just monsters, Bridger. I assure you we aren't. We have good reasons for what we are doing. We have families like you do."

"Do you have children? I have a son…" _Ask open/ended questions. Engage him. Find commonalities. Appeal to his humanity._

Nathan listened at the man speak about his family and lament about the loss of his brother. Nathan wanted to scream at the man that his brother and the rest of his comrades shot down innocent bystanders. _Stay calm._ It wasn't the first time Dosa or people like Dosa had fought back against everything the UEO was trying to accomplish. It wouldn't matter what the organization did, there would always be some group that would oppose them. The man continued berating the actions of the UEO. Nathan did his best to echo the man's words to help appease him. _Empathise with his plight._

"Well, wouldn't the UEO just say they were expendable for the greater good?" Dosa walked across the stage and pointed his gun at one of the ladies. Nathan could see the frightened look on the young woman's face. She didn't look much older than her nineteen or twenty. Not much more than a child. "What right does the UEO have to decide who is expendable and who isn't? I want my brother back, Captain. Who's going to bring him back?" Dosa grabbed the woman by the arm and swung her around, putting the gun to her head. "Get Singh released NOW!"

Nathan held up his hands. "Wait, she's not more than a child, Dosa!" _Stay calm. Appeal to his humanity._ Nathan gave the girl a sympathetic glance as she trembled and pleaded with him with her dark eyes.

"Yes, it's a pity isn't it? Perhaps witnessing their young die will force people out of their complacency! We are in a war for survival, Captain. It's time to stop burying our heads in the sand. Get me a vid-link, Captain. Time is up!"

 ** _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_**

Katie kicked off her heels as she rushed down the corridors of the conference centre. She was silently cursing her formal attire at the moment. The form-fitted skirt and dress jacket only added to her agitation. She held her shoes in her hands as she searched out Commander Sheppard. Heading into a large group of military police, she heard the man's imperious voice. Sheppard was the first man the UEO called in on the scene of a hostage situation. He was known to be one of the best negotiators, and that knowledge gave Katie some comfort.

She approached him with authority in her voice. "Commander Sheppard, what's happening?"

A surprised look flooded his face when he saw her. "Commander Hitchcock! I'm pleased to see you're safe. I was told that all the senior crew of SeaQuest were hostages. Are you alone?"

"Lucas Wolenczak escaped before they infiltrated the room, but it's my understanding that the rest of the crew is being held hostage." Katie could not mistake the look of relief on the man's face when he heard her news. Katie couldn't blame the man. Whenever a child was involved, it usually made things ten times worse and only served to give the terrorists more leverage. Taking Lucas out of the equation made things just a little less complicated.

"We don't know much yet. Admiral Noyce has made one call out, and it was to Secretary General Dre. The call was circumvented for as long as possible to stall for more time but to no avail. They want a vid-link out now."

"Is it related to the attack on UEO headquarters?"

Sheppard nodded, a tense look on his face. "Same group. The People's Liberation Army. One of their leaders was caught, and they want him released immediately. They plan to continue killing hostages until he is released."

Katie felt herself suck in a breath. When she had chatted with her father earlier in the evening, he had mentioned to her that Abdul Singh had predicted his men would free him at all costs. Katie had been uneasy hearing the uncertainty in her father's voice regarding the information and then the gunshots echoed throughout the building. It had been all she could do to talk her father out of arriving at the conference centre. Her father, Colonel Richard Hitchcock was not a man to be delayed when he set his mind to something. Katie felt sure she would see him very soon, despite her insistence that she was safe, and there was nothing he could do to help matters. She forced herself to focus her attention on Sheppard.

"So what's the plan?"

He put his hands on his hips as he looked gravely at the floor before making eye contact with her. "Things are complicated as you may have guessed, Commander. This isn't just a UEO matter. We have to play nice with the FBI. They have their way of doing things and we have ours. I'm waiting for their HNT (Hostage Negotiation Team) to contact me right now. They've deployed the SWAT team in conjunction with HNT. This is going to get real ugly fast. Everyone still has a bad taste in their mouths from the hostage crisis at the UEO headquarters. I'm just trying to maintain some semblance of order. We're waiting to hear from the president on this one, Commander. The official policy is we don't negotiate with…"

Katie felt her temper flare. "Commander, I already know official policy. Tell me what your plan is!" Katie realised her penetrating look was eating away at the man when he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"The plan for now is we wait and bide our time. I'm still trying to get them to talk to me. Right now, they have only made their demands known through Bridger and Noyce."

"Waiting is only going to get more hostages killed."

"You don't think I don't know that, Commander? Dammit, if I went with my gut, I'd storm the doors right now. But we both know that that isn't going to do any good. These things take time and a whole lot of ass-kissing. There are appropriate steps I have to take if we expect anyone to get anyone out alive." Katie nodded. She knew about hostage negotiation, and she knew it was a delicate issue. There were proper steps, but it was so hard to be content with following protocol when it involved people she loved and cared about.

"How confident are you that your captain can handle himself?"

"You can count on Captain Bridger," insisted Katie, feeling the tension in her shoulders as she speculated how things were going in the room. She hated the feeling of being in the dark.

"I hope you're right. For now, I've been ordered to stand down and wait for the Presidential word and for HNT and SWAT to arrive. Abdul Singh is a dangerous man, and by letting him go, we risk far worse retaliation than this simple hostage situation. I have no choice but defer to your captain and hope to God he knows how to handle himself."

A high pitched squeal filled the outer foyer, interrupting their conversation, as the television monitors above their heads came to life. Katie's jaw dropped when she saw several armed men on the screen with their pistols trained on three young women. Katie could also see Captain Bridger standing close by the Admiral. Both of them also had guns trained on them as well. Katie noticed the grave look on the captain's face as she tried to read his expression. A tall, lanky dark-haired and bearded man approached the link, his face was severe.

"One hour has passed since we made our demands to have Abdul Singh released. The UEO continues to exercise ignorance towards our requests. Let it be known that the blood of three hostages is on the hands of the UEO." Katie's eyes filled with tears as she helplessly watched the three young women callously gunned down. She put a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob as she looked away from the brutal scene that played out before her eyes. She felt Sheppard place a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Witnessing such brutality made her sick to her stomach; it was worse knowing she had just stood by watching and was helpless to stop it. It was all she could do not to vomit as she stood trembling.

"Three more hostages will be executed in an hour if our demands are not met." With those final words, the vid-link ended and the screens went black again.

Katie leaned against the wall in shock over what she had just seen. Singh's followers were not going to back down, and Katie feared the next hostages might be someone much closer to her. It seemed like the whole building was silent out of reverence for the three women who had just needlessly lost their lives.

"Katherine!" called a familiar voice from down the corridor. Katie swiped at a few rebel tears still on her cheeks as she scanned the area to see who was calling her name. A small part of her felt a rush of relief when she realised it was her father striding towards her, a worried look on his face. The six foot man immediately wrapped his arms around her in a protective, fatherly way that she secretly enjoyed. She always took every chance she could to call her parents when she was up world. She missed her family when she was on tour. Her father was retired now, but he was a brilliant man who made a point of keeping up on current events concerning the UEO. The two of them often ended up arguing about her military choices. Colonel Rick Hitchcock never kept it a secret that he'd wanted his only daughter to follow his footsteps into the Air Force. The fact that Katie had achieved Lt. Commander at such a young age didn't seem to impress him for the very fact she choose the Marines over his dream for her. Although, deep down, Katie knew her father was proud of her achievements despite her choices.

Katie leaned into her father's strong arms. "Daddy." As much as she knew it didn't look professional, she didn't care in that moment. She was shaken up after witnessing what she did, and she felt safe in her father's arms. She was immensely grateful that he'd ignored her brave platitudes earlier and had come to the conference centre anyways. She could hear him mumbling soothing words into her hair, things he used to say when she was frightened as a little girl.

"It's okay, Katie-Kat." The familiarity of that nickname made her melt into his embrace further. She'd missed him. After several minutes she forced herself to pull away.

"Seeing stuff like that never gets easy, does it?"

"You saw it?"

"It was on the screens when I walked in. You ok?"

Katie shook her head solemnly. She took a deep breath and gained her composure enough to remember Commander Sheppard was still standing quietly beside her.

"Dad, this is Commander Sheppard, head of the UEO's Defense's Special Ops department and a hostage negotiator." Katie watched as her father reached a hand out to shake Sheppard's hand. "This is my father, Colonel Richard Hitchcock."

"Nice to meet you Colonel," replied Sheppard, saluting him. Katie saw her father smile at the action. Sheppard was being dutiful, going by the unwritten 'when in doubt, salute' rule. Katie knew he'd learned in the academy that it was better if you saluted someone whom you needn't salute than not, even cross branches; the worst that would happen is that the other person will look at you strangely or maybe politely correct you. However, if you failed to salute someone you should salute, the correction might not be so gentle.

"No need to salute, Commander. I'm not in uniform and I'm retired. I came to see how my daughter was and to offer my expertise should it be needed," explained Rick.

"Thanks, Colonel. I'm sure we will be glad of any help we can get. Please excuse me." Katie watched as Sheppard disappeared into the crowd once more. She couldn't help sighing as she felt a huge weight settle on her shoulders. She looked up as she felt her father's hand on her back. She leaned into him, and he wrapped a protective arm around her once again.

"I feel so helpless, daddy. Captain Bridger, Jonathan, Ben…all of them are in that room!" She felt her father kiss the top of her head.

"Keep the faith, Katie-Kat. This is one of those times when we have to be strong and content enough to pray. It's out of our hands." Katie nodded as she leaned into her father. She wasn't used to feeling so helpless, and she hated the feeling.

 ** _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_**

In all the commotion and upset over the executions, Lucas and Mitch had been able to sneak back inside the building undetected. Lucas scanned the rooms as he hurried down several corridors. He needed to find access into the main computer system. Lucas put a hand to his mouth, swallowing bile that had formed. He'd nearly lost what little dinner he had eaten when he caught sight of the three women being shot in the head. He closed his eyes and willed himself to stay calm. Panic was building deep within him. Seeing Captain Bridger at gunpoint had scared the hell out of him. If he didn't do something to help, the next execution might be someone from SeaQuest. Lucas wasn't sure he'd be able to cope if anything happened to them. He kept rushing down the hall, poking his head in room after unlocked room. Finally, he saw a door marked "Office" and he rushed in, followed by Mitch and he locked the door behind them. The room had been long since evacuated but the computers appeared to be all online. Lucas quickly sat down and began to input codes. He felt Mitch lean over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to contact, Captain Bridger."

"How?"

Lucas kept typing frantically as he quickly hijacked the system. A tiny grin of satisfaction broke across his face when he was able to hack past the system's security with such ease. These computers were nothing like the security he was used to hacking. The encryption wasn't hard to break through, and he'd been able to access what he needed within minutes of hacking in. He knew that Captain Bridger always kept his com-link on him, even when he was up world. The link was virtually useless to him off the ship, but Lucas had discovered a way to hack into it to send him coded messages. The two of them were able to communicate with one another virtually anywhere a cell phone could be used. Lucas was fairly certain that the terrorists would have taken all the hostages cell phones right away. They wouldn't have given any thought to a com-link.

"I'm sending him something similar to a text message." Lucas continued to type madly on the keyboard and sighed when he sent the message, "White Alpha". It was a code that the captain would immediately know was from him. It was a secret code that only they used with one another. "He needs to know he's not alone." Lucas felt a hand on his shoulder. He sucked in his lip, trying hard to remain calm. He felt his hands trembling, and he hoped the captain understood his code.

"Think you'll explain to me the connection between you and SeaQuest when this is all over?"

Lucas cast a look over his shoulder. "It's complicated."

"So I gathered. What are you doing now?"

"Captain Bridger needs a diversion. Once he gets my message, he'll know I'm going to do something. He'll be ready."

"Lucas, are you sure about this?"

Lucas anxiously chewed his lip. He wasn't sure about anything. He didn't even know if he was going to make things worse or not, but he had to something. He couldn't just sit around and wait for his friends to be killed while the UEO played their normal diplomatic games. He was quickly coming unglued, and he felt alone in his panic. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep himself composed. He felt his heart rate increasing as he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he debated his next move.

 ** _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_**

Nathan felt his com-link vibrate in his pocket. The sensation caught him by surprise. Intuitively he knew that the only person who could contact him on it was Lucas. The unit was useless outside of SeaQuest, but the teenager had discovered a way for them to communicate; it had remained a secret between them. Nathan looked towards Dosa who was busy instructing his men where to drag the bloodied bodies of the latest hostages. The man was so disgusting that he chose to have the bodies hauled to the centre of the room along with the others he had executed earlier. The sight was morbid and appalling to observe, a constant reminder of how demented Dosa was. Nathan felt sick to his stomach as he watched things play out before his eyes. He noticed how pale Bill looked as he observed the bodies being dragged down the stairs and across the room, leaving a trail of blood behind them. Looking out across the room, Nathan's eyes met Kristin's briefly. Tears ran down her cheeks as she huddled close to Ben. Nathan noticed Kristin hadn't let go of the Ben's hand since he left the table. He could tell she was terrified. The other crew members were doing their best to keep people composed, which wasn't an easy feat considering the circumstances. Nathan saw Tim's lips moving, and he knew that the faithful man was praying for them all.

Nathan clenched his jaw, wondering what the hell was going on outside the room. How many people were going to lose their lives before someone took control of the situation? Taking a quick glance around to see that Dosa was occupied, Nathan reached for his com-link and looked at the message Lucas had sent him. He felt his pulse speed up when he read 'White Alpha'. It was a code that he and Lucas shared when things were spinning out of control for the teenager.

"Lucas has computer access," whispered Nathan. He saw Bill perk up at the words. They both knew the kid was a genius, but Nathan worried about what the kid would do.

Nathan searched his mind, trying to think about what kind of diversion Lucas could manage to pull off in the room. Nathan knew that was what Lucas was thinking of doing. But he also knew Lucas was struggling with panic as well. The teenager wouldn't have used that particular code unless he thought Nathan needed to know how he was managing. It was Lucas' way of saying that his movements and logic was impaired. Nathan felt his own hands grow cold.

"Bill, Lucas is going to do something drastic, and I can't predict what it'll be. I don't think he is thinking clearly because he's scared."

Bill frowned. "That kid is brilliant, Nathan."

"I realise that but he's also a 15 year old boy, and he's afraid for our lives. He's been through so much lately and he's fragile. I have no doubt he's going to do something, but I'm not sure how big a reaction he's going for and I can't predict it." Nathan looked down at the com-link again as he tapped his finger on the side of device. He needed a way to let Lucas know that he was safe, some kind of assurance that the boy could cling too. It would calm Lucas, hopefully helping the kid to have more clarity which would help Nathan better predict what he might do. Nathan reached a hand back to massage some of the tension from the back of his neck, all the while keeping a sharp eye on Dosa. The man had huddled into a corner with a few of his men to have a private conference. The entire room had fallen into a hushed silence, with only inaudible murmurs to be heard along with soft sobs.

Nathan looked at his hand held unit, turning it over in his hands several times discretely. Suddenly an idea popped into his head and he carefully opened the back of the unit, switching the channel to 2010. He replaced the back and returned it to his pocket. He only hoped Lucas would figure out his response to him. He was worried about the teenager. He couldn't predict what he would do, and his hands were tied to get the kid support. Nathan heard himself sigh as he felt his temples pound from the tension.

"Admiral! I've had enough of the stalling. I want to talk to Abdul Singh. I want a direct link to him right away. You've got twenty minutes, or I kill three more hostages." Dosa nodded at a few of his men, who walked towards the table where Nathan had been sitting. "Tell your superiors, that the next three will be from your flagship!"

Nathan held up his hands. "What do you want to talk to Abdul regarding, Mr. Dosa? I want to do what I can to help you." _Keep him talking. Keep him focussed. Actively listen and acknowledge his concerns. As long as he's talking and communicating, he's not killing anyone else._

"I want to talk to him now, Bridger. Get me a vid-link!"

"You want a vid-link," acknowledged Nathan. "I can get that for you." Nathan cast a sideways glance at Bill, seeing him concede to his judgement. He knew that Bill had taken a step back in this crisis. Only one person could be the negotiator. Nathan could tell that Bill was willing to bow to his discernment. To anyone else, it would look strange to see the Admiral taking a step back in leadership but they both knew that Nathan was better suited in this case to handle things. This wasn't the first time they'd been in situations like this, and both of them knew how to play the game.

"I need to talk to someone outside, Mr. Dosa. I promise to do what I can to get what you want, but I'll need more time than twenty minutes." _Build up a trust. Build a rapport. Show you can be trusted._ Nathan could see the confused look on Dosa's face. Nathan wasn't playing the game like he'd anticipated. The sympathy and cooperation wasn't what he's expected. He saw the man's hesitation.

Dosa handed his phone to Nathan. "Do it!" Nathan nodded and took the phone. He was frantically searching his brain for the best way to make this call work. He needed to do what he could to keep things under control, and he needed to get a message out about Lucas as well. He didn't want any unexpected surprises if he could help it.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N thanks for the reviews :)**_

 _ **Life has been busy for me. I'm teaching a lot the next few months, and my family all just recovered from a stomach bug!**_

 _ **Here is another little chapter for you...enjoy! :D**_

"Damn it!" mumbled Commander Sam Sheppard as he slammed down the phone. He was getting thoroughly pissed off with the stodgy, bureaucratic fat cats who were making all the decisions from thousands of miles away. They were seeing the executions but it wasn't as real to them as it was to Sheppard. He dialed the phone again, pounding the keys so hard his finger was throbbing when he was finished. He was so sick of the red tape and hoop jumping.

"I want a secure vid-link with Abdul Singh right away! They've threatened to kill three more hostages in the next half hour! I'll be damned if I'm going to sit by watching more innocent people die because you people won't get up off your asses to do something!" shouted Sheppard. The voice on the other end was ranting and yelling at him in return causing him to pull the phone from his ear in irritation. Sheppard had been around the block enough times to know what he was doing, and he wasn't going to listen to anymore rhetoric and conjecture. He was finished playing around.

"Do it now!" he said, slamming down the phone again.

He glanced at his watch irritably, all the while pondering the game in his head. _Stall for time as much as possible._ _Don't give the hostage taker anything without getting something in return._ Dosa had agreed to let two of the injured men go free. It wasn't much, but it was something _. Make him think. Wear him out mentally by constantly forcing him to make decisions. Slow things down. Never make promises or threats you can't keep._ Sheppard knew that Bridger knew all these little game plans as well as he did. Bridger would be playing the game well; he could count on that. Sheppard thought about the brief conversation he'd with Bridger. In all the dealings he'd with the man, he was never more impressed than now. It had been obvious that he had things well under control in the room. Dosa had allowed him to use his phone and establish a vid-link directly with him. Sheppard had spoken to both Bridger and Dosa together. From the short conversation, Bridger had succeeded to give him a huge amount of information unbeknownst to Dosa. Sheppard now knew there were six armed gunmen in the room. Six hostages had been killed and two others seriously injured. Bridger was slick at discreet hand signals, and Sheppard had been watching closely for any and all communication. Somehow Bridger had accomplished to develop a kind of rapport with Dosa, the man insisting to only deal with him. As much as Sheppard didn't like the idea of someone so close to the situation being the negotiator, it would need to suffice for now. Sheppard would be play the authority and Bridger the negotiator. At least Dosa was allowing Bridger to communicate. Perhaps having someone who seems more vulnerable would be an advantage. It was more than evident that Bridger knew the game well.

Sheppard glanced around the room that he had secured. It was one of the offices in the hotel. They had stripped it of all nonessential items, leaving a large desk and several chairs, computer equipment and so on. Sheppard had paperwork spread across his desk, computer access to vid-links in and out of the hotel, and several phones lines linked out. Since he'd been first on the scene dealing with the crisis from the get-go, he'd been able to keep the upper hand with HNT. Sheppard already knew the situation with Liberation group well since dealing with it several weeks ago during the crisis at the UEO headquarters. The SWAT team was working with the UEO Special Ops team to be ready to intervene when the time came. He'd expected a war with the civilian group, but they had been quick to submit to the UEO authorities. Sheppard was grateful for that as it was one less hassle for him to deal with. For now, they needed to bide their time well. Sheppard was convinced Bridger had this and could handle it, and until he saw evidence to the contrary, he was going to keep things consistent. Bridger had already managed to get two hostages released, and it had only been a couple of hours. That in itself was encouraging.

One thing remained unsettled in his head as he thought of his conversation with Bridger. Bridger had told him to give a message to his son. Sheppard didn't know that Bridger had a son nor did he understand why the message seemed so crucial at this particular moment in time. A knock was heard at the door at the same time his vid-link rang.

"Enter," he commanded as he hit the button on his link. He saw Commander Hitchcock enter the room, followed by her father. He raised a finger to silence them as he spoke to the person who appeared on his screen.

"Do you have that link for me?"

"Yes, sir. We are patching it through to you directly."

"Hold tight, Lieutenant, and I will let you know when to uplink it."

Sheppard held his finger on the link as he started patching another link through to the conference room. The face of Bridger came on-screen.

"We have the link, Captain." Sheppard couldn't mistake the look of intense relief that flooded Nathan Bridger's face. Sheppard puffed out a breath of air as he patched through the video link, wondering what the hell was going on in that room.

 _ **oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo**_

Lucas put his hand to his temples, massaging some of the tension from his eyes as he stared at the screen. He'd broken through the encrypted vid-link and had seen the entire conversation between Sheppard and Captain Bridger. He had to admit, his pulse had increased tenfold when he saw the man's face. One part of him felt immense relief while another part of him was quickly losing his grip. He saw the gunmen in the background, as well as the expression on Admiral Noyce. Lucas wasn't stupid; he knew things were bad.

"How are you holding up?" Lucas felt himself jump noticeably as he turned to see Mitch sitting beside him. His face was white with fear as well.

"Six gunmen. Six hostages dead. Two wounded."

Mitch furrowed a brow. "How do you know all that?"

"Captain Bridger was making hand signals for Sheppard. He's become the negotiator. He scratched his head, tapping his index finger and thumb six times indicating six gunmen."

"How…"

"Trust me, I just know."

Lucas proceeded to show Mitch a few of the signals that Captain Bridger had used perfectly discreetly. The terrorist was none the wiser.

"No one would know it unless you're familiar with hostage negotiations."

Lucas could see the confused look on Mitch's face. It wasn't normal for a kid his age to know so much about this kind of thing. But Lucas didn't live the life of a normal teenager in any way. Of course, Mitch didn't know that, and Lucas just didn't feel like explaining everything to him. He was too distracted and his anxiety level kept increasing.

Lucas had been trying to get another message to the captain on his com-link but hadn't had any success. The message kept bouncing back to him, and he couldn't figure out why. He'd heard the message for him from the captain, and he was searching his head for what it meant. Captain Bridger had said to tell his son he was safe, he loved him and they'd watch the 2010 World Series game together when he came home. Captain Bridger hated baseball and only watched it because Lucas loved it. And why the 2010 series? It was eight years ago. What was the captain trying to say to him? Lucas felt a warm hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump.

"Are you ok?"

Lucas took a deep breath and shook his head. If he was going to make it through this he knew he was going to need some help. As each minute passed, he became more and more unglued.

"No."

It was such a simple word for Lucas to say, but it was a profound one. He could see Mitch staring at him. He didn't know the man at all yet somehow Mitch had latched onto him. He wasn't sure if it was out of obligation or what. The man didn't need to stay with him yet he had. Lucas felt comforted by his presence.

"I'm not okay."

Lucas shut his eyes tightly to hold back the tears in his eyes. He was trembling all over. He was scared, he wasn't thinking straight and he felt confused. He was close to having a full-fledged panic attack, and it was all he could do to hold himself together. His feelings and emotions were just too complicated to explain to Mitch.

"I'm scared too, Lucas."

"I just can't sit here doing nothing. I don't want anyone else to die." Lucas felt tears brim his eyes, and he frantically blinked them back. Mitch placed a hand on his arm to comfort him. In that moment, Lucas' eyes grew large as he saw the vid-link he had secured spring to life with the face of Abdul Singh.

 _ **oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo**_

His heart was still racing in his chest as Nathan breathed in deeply, trying to stay calm. Things had gotten entirely too tense for his liking. Dosa had seemed to cooperate somewhat with him after their initial conversation with Sheppard. He'd agreed to release the two injured men. His gunmen had opened the back doors and tossed the men out the doors. Nathan had breathed a sigh of relief when they were safely evicted from the room. At least those men would survive. He'd seen Jonathan slip something into one of the men's pockets before the gunman grabbed them. Nathan knew his first in command was a shrewd man and whatever he'd done was going to make a difference to their plight. It was just difficult when they had no way to communicate with one another.

After the injured men were released, Dosa had ordered his men to pick two of Nathan's crew for execution. The men had brought forward Kristin and Ben forcing them to kneel down by Admiral Noyce. Nathan felt his heart beat faster in his chest when he saw the terrified look on her face. Ben had fought to stop her from being chosen, earning him sharp jabs in the chest with the back end of the rifle. It was easy to see Ben had sustained injuries from the blows. The rest of his crew stood by helplessly watching, gritting their teeth. It was all Nathan could do not to rip the men to pieces with his bare hands. He had to remind himself to breath and remain calm. It would have been too easy to lose control and that wouldn't help anyone.

Dosa glanced at his watch again. "Five minutes, Captain and sadly, three of your friends die. It seemed that killing young women didn't do anything—maybe killing these three will."

"Killing people isn't going to make them work any faster. Mr. Dosa. We have certain protocol that must be followed. I promise you I'm doing the best I can here."

"It's not good enough, Bridger!"

Nathan rubbed his temples as he caught eye contact with Kristin. Tears pooled in her eyes but she hadn't let any fall since she was forced to her knees. Ben was beside her, a look of pain on his face but he kept a brave façade.

"You're cowards! Killing innocent women for no damned reason. Why don't you let her go? She's a doctor for Pete's sake. She can help you!" shouted Ben, a wheeze apparent in his voice.

The information seemed to pique Dosa's attention and he walked closer to Kristin, brushing a hand across her shoulders. Nathan sucked in a breath as he watched him touch her.

"You're a doctor?"

Kristin nodded. "Chief medical officer on SeaQuest."

"Such a pity." He pointed to the bodies lying in the middle of the room. "Any hope for those people?" Nathan saw the sneer on the man's face. When Kristin didn't answer, Dosa grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled her head back to look up at him.

"No," came her soft reply.

"Soon there will be no hope for you either." He released her hair and stroked her head as he stared at Nathan. "She's a handsome woman, Bridger. Such a pity." Nathan chewed his lip as he felt the gun dig deeper in his back. From the corner of his eye, he could see the gunman behind him smiling at Dosa in amusement. He felt so helpless to do anything but watch. Then, as if in slow motion, Ben threw himself at Dosa sending him flying off the podium onto the floor. Before Nathan even had a chance to move, the gunman behind him fired his weapon and Ben fell to the floor.

Gasps could be heard in the room as Kristin cried out and leaned towards the fallen man. In that moment, the vid-link rang and Sheppard appeared on the screen.

"We've got that link, Captain."


	4. Chapter 4

Sheppard leaned his head into his hands as he released the link to Bridger. The fact that he had no way to monitor the conversation between Dosa and Singh frustrated him. At least he'd managed to get Dosa what he wanted. Hopefully no one else would die. They had met his demands for now. Bridger's tense look made his heart beat a little faster as he wondered how badly things were progressing in the room. Sheppard looked up when he remembered Katie and her father were still standing there.

He scrubbed a hand over his face as he rose to his feet. "Colonel and Commander Hitchcock, just the people I wanted to see."

Katie gave him a weak smile. "What link?"

"Dosa demanded a link to Singh. I'm doing my best to meet his demands for as long as I can." Sheppard glanced at Colonel Hitchcock. "Sir, I'm sure you're aware that I won't know what the SWAT team is planning, but I'd sure love some insights, if you get my drift."

Colonel Hitchcock nodded. "You got it, Commander."

The man patted his daughter on the shoulder quietly and exited the room. Sheppard figured the retired colonel would know procedure well enough. Hostage negotiation wasn't new to any of them in this new world. Most branches of the military had dealt with it in one form or another since as long as he could remember. It was just common knowledge that negotiators were not told when there was going to be an attack because it was too difficult for the negotiator to avoid giving anything away through tone of voice or choice of words. This time he felt like he needed to know all that he could to keep Bridger in the know. This situation was not typical. Sheppard sighed as he looked up at the young woman standing across from him.

"Commander, I need you to get a message to Bridger's son. Bridger said to tell him he was safe, he loved him and that the two of them would watch the 2010 World Series when he gets home." Sheppard noticed the confused look on her face. "I wasn't aware he had a kid."

"He must mean Lucas."

"You mean that Wolenczak kid?"

Katie nodded. "Captain Bridger is his guardian."

"Any idea what the message means?"

"No, but Lucas is a bright kid, Commander. If Captain Bridger wanted him to get that message, he had a good reason and Lucas will understand it."

Sheppard furrowed a brow, still not convinced. "Do you know where the kid is?"

"Last I saw him he was outside with a friend."

"Can you bring him to me?"

Katie nodded. "Sure."

Sheppard watched as Katie turned to leave. "Commander?" she said as she stopped in her tracks.

"Yah?"

"Gut feeling?"

Sheppard stared at his hands before looking up with a grave look. "Precarious."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

They held their breath as they listened to Dosa and Singh speak. Lucas glanced at Mitch as he felt his stomach churn. He figured the older man didn't understand the language spoken but Lucas did. He recognised the dialect right away. Arabic. Lucas felt the colour drain from his face as he listened to the conversation play out. He didn't understand everything he'd heard but he comprehended the gist of it. Singh wanted to make a huge impact on the UEO. He had ordered Dosa to kill every hostage in the room even if he was released. Dosa had nodded solemnly and vowed to give up his life for the cause. Lucas sucked in his lip trying to make himself take deep breaths. He needed to stay calm. There had to be a way to contact the captain and let him know this information. Captain Bridger had to negotiate to get everyone out as soon as possible. After what felt like an eternity, Dosa ended the link and the screen went black again. Lucas felt his heart beating fast in his chest as he felt his panic increase.

"You understood that?"

Lucas nodded gravely as he raked a hand through his hair. "He's going to kill everyone." His voice was trembling as much as his hands.

"You don't know that, Lucas."

"Damn it, I just heard him!" Lucas stood up and began pacing around the room, willing himself to think of something that would help. _Think, Lucas._

"Yes, but it means nothing. We have no idea what Dosa will do. Look, Lucas, by now there will be HNT personnel on this. These guys do this kinda stuff all the time. They'll give Dosa what he wants…"

"He wants blood!" screamed Lucas. The words echoed in the room, and he saw Mitch flinch at his anger. Lucas sighed. He wasn't angry at Mitch. He was grateful the man had stuck by him. To a certain extent, his presence was helping to keep him calm. He watched as Mitch walked across the room and stood in front of him.

Mitch exhaled sharply as he peered into Lucas' eyes. "I know it appears bleak, but we need to stay positive, Lucas. Containment and negotiation strategies have been shown to yield a 95 percent success rate in terms of resolving a hostage crisis without fatalities to either hostages or hostage-takers."

Lucas groaned in annoyance. "You're a professor aren't you?" It wasn't really meant to be a question or a compliment.

Mitch smirked. "Guilty as charged."

Lucas sighed, angry with himself for not being able to keep his emotions under control. _Stop being such an idiot. This isn't Mitch's fault._ Lucas crossed his arms, glancing at the computer briefly before taking a seat again. He had to go with his previous idea and create a diversion of some kind. He could take out the lights or set off the water sprinklers in the ceiling. "What are you doing now?"

"I'm going to create a diversion…"

Mitch put his hand on Lucas' to forestall him. "I don't think that's a wise idea right now, Lucas."

"I have to do something!"

"Look, I feel as helpless as you do, but we don't know what the officials are doing—we might mess up their plans badly and get someone killed. Do you want that?"

"No, but this might help Captain Bridger overtake them…" insisted Lucas, staring daggers at Mitch.

"Or you might get him killed!" Mitch's voice was loud and firm, almost echoing across the quiet room. The firmness in his voice caused Lucas to draw back, fear filling his face.

Lucas gritted his teeth. Mitch had no idea how he felt. His whole life was in that room; he sure as hell wouldn't do anything to endanger them. He just wanted to help.

Lucas rose to his feet and glared at Mitch. "Leave me alone!" _Can't you understand how much I need to be sure the captain is safe? Don't you understand that I'm losing my grip?_

Lucas felt Mitch put a hand on his arm firmly. He felt tears brim his eyes as he fought hard to keep his clarity.

"He's gonna kill the captain, Mitch. I can't let him!" Panic was winning.

 _The captain was going to die, and it's my fault. I should know what to do. The captain needs me to be strong and help. Why am I such a failure?_

"It's gonna be okay, Lucas," assured Mitch, softening his tone.

Lucas shook his head in vehement disagreement. Nothing was going to be alright ever again if anything happened to the captain and the crew. Lucas yanked his arm away harshly. If Mitch was going to keep hindering him, he would find a way to help on his own. Lucas looked down at the computer screen again. There had to be a way to get the captain a message. _The captain just needs the upper hand. I can give him that._ As Lucas leaned closer to the monitor, he felt his com-link dig into his hip, reminding him it was there. He reached into his pocket, pulling the unit out. The last few messages he had tried to send hadn't worked. _Why can't I get it to work?_

Lucas felt Mitch put a hand on his shoulder. Lucas looked up, fingering his com-link. Mitch walked around, grabbed a chair and sat across from him.

"Probably the hardest thing in life is waiting. Research says that by the time we are 70 years old, we'll have spent 27 days waiting…"

Lucas gave Mitch a pained look. "You're killing me, Mitch."

Mitch smirked. "C'mon, Lucas, I'm trying hard here. Give me something."

Lucas managed a weak smile then he furrowed his brow. He knew Mitch was trying to keep the situation light for his good, but Lucas knew he wouldn't be able to sit around doing nothing much longer.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan paced the floor as he watched Kristin apply pressure to the wound. Ben still lay unconscious on the floor. After being shoved off the podium, Dosa had stood and nodded at his man, brushed himself off, and snatched the vid-com from Nathan. He tossed him a menacing look as he went to a private spot to talk with Singh. His mercenaries stood guard but seemed unconcerned with any of them. They kept their guns trained on all the hostages silently. None of them seemed to care when Nathan and Kristin went to Ben's aid.

"He needs medical care, Nathan," replied Kristin, looking up at him pleadingly. Nathan nodded grimly. _Dammit, Ben, how could you be so stupid?_ Nathan watched as Kristin ripped the hem of her dress off and wrapped it around Ben's wound gently. Nathan kneeled beside her, offering his dress jacket to cover the man. Ben's face was ashen. _Hang in there, kid._

"How are you holding up?"

"You need to get him out fast," said Kristin, ignoring the question. "He's losing a lot of blood."

Nathan placed his hand on hers, as she continued to put pressure on Ben's side. Both their hands were blood splattered. He could feel how cold her trembling hand was and it broke his heart. Nathan gave her a sympathetic look. He knew she was frightened. Kristin managed a weak smile in return. For as long as Nathan had known Kristin, she handled her stress and fear by taking command of what she knew she could do. Right now Ben needed her assistance, and she wouldn't stop caring for him until he was either released, _he died_ or she lost her own life. Nathan cast a glance at the Admiral. Bill's face was white with fatigue as he sat on the podium. There was no way for them to communicate but the two of them were constantly exchanging eye contact. It was hard to believe that only three hours had passed since they had all been taken hostage.

Nathan glanced around the room. There was a hushed silence in the auditorium. He could see the horror and fear on the hostage's faces. People looked weary. It was getting late. Nathan needed to see if he could negotiate some bedding for people so they could rest. It would help keep people calm and reassured. _Remember that hostages represent power and control to the hostage taker. Take focus off the people._ Nathan wasn't so naive to believe that this would be a short situation. The UEO was going to drag it out for as long as possible in hopes of wearing Dosa down—slowing everything down helped aid in better decision making on all sides. _Breathe Nathan. Keep everything slow and calm._

"I'll do my best, Kris." Nathan patted her hand before rising to his feet again. He knew Kristin hadn't ever experienced anything like this before. Why would she? She was a medical doctor. Hostage taking wasn't exactly something that she would have ever encountered before.

Nathan glanced over at Dosa who had finished up his conversation. He caught the man's eye contact as he walked across the room. Nathan watched as he approached him.

"How's your officer?"

"Not so good."

"It was a stupid thing to do."

Nathan nodded his agreement. It was stupid. "He needs medical attention."

"I want another link out, Captain. We're finished playing games."

"I can get you another link. Please let my officer out. The doctor says he needs medical attention right away." Nathan saw Dosa look at Ben lying on the floor. Kristin was trying hard to stop the bleeding; her hands were still visibly trembling.

Dosa exhaled sharply. "I didn't want to see anyone else die any more than you, Bridger. I never signed up to kill people. I just wanted to live my life in peace." Nathan furrowed a brow as he saw a look of indecision and compassion flash in the man's eyes. _What went down with Singh and Dosa? He's talking in past tense!_ Suddenly Dosa looked emotionally weary, bewildered and uncertain _._ Nathan hadn't seen that look before.

"How old is he?" asked Dosa, nodding towards Ben.

"25."

Dosa grimaced. "My brother was his age. Dammit, I hate this war!"

Nathan rubbed his hand on his pant leg. "I'm sorry about your brother." _Show sympathy. Keep your tone even. Remain calm._ Nathan could hear his own heartbeat in his ear.

Dosa closed his eyes momentarily. "He was a good man, Bridger. He never said one damned bad word about anyone in his life. He married his high school sweetheart…" Dosa's voice cracked as he paused and inhaled deeply. "He just wanted a safe place for his kids to grow up."

"I think we can safely say that's all any of us want, Mr. Dosa. I want a safe world for my son as well."

"I doubt your child is starving, Captain. All you military types are getting fat off what natural resources you're finding in the ocean. The rest of us are fighting for our very existence." Dosa all but hissed the last part of his sentence. The venom in his voice was unmistakable. Nathan watched as Dosa paced away from him briefly and then turned on his heel to face him again. "Singh wants me to kill you all, Bridger. You should know that. There will be no check-mate in this game. We're all going to lose."

"It doesn't have to be that way." _Establish a sense of normality amongst the emotion._ "You can be the better man here, Mr. Dosa." _Appeal to his humanity._

Dosa sighed and shook his head. Nathan could hear the fatigue in his voice. "Get me an uplink, Bridger, and I'll let your crewman go free. While you're at it, get me and my men some food and something other than water to drink." With those final words, Dosa tossed the vid-com to him and walked away.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sam Sheppard set the phone down again, rubbing his forehead absentmindedly. Bridger had asked for another uplink for Dosa. The uplinks meant the information went out across the wire and they couldn't keep things from the press. Sam had a feeling that the uplink wouldn't bring any good news. He walked out into the hallway and briefly looked around.

"Lt. Daniels!" Sheppard called down the hallway to one of the officers. The man snapped to attention and walked towards him.

"Commander Sheppard, Sir?"

Sheppard handed him a sheet of paper. "It's not a glamorous job, Lieutenant but I need you to get the food as quickly as possible." The man glanced at the list and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Sheppard watched as the officer walked away quickly on his mission. Sticking his hands in his pocket, he strode down the hallway towards the outer doors. It was going to take some time to get the uplink Dosa wanted, and Sheppard wanted to take a few minutes to breathe in some fresh air. As he rounded the corner, he heard some voices coming from a room. He poked his head inside the room to see a man and a teenager talking quietly.

He cleared his throat. "What are you two doing? You shouldn't be in here."

The two men looked up with startled looks on their face. Sheppard immediately recognised the kid once he looked at him. The boy looked visibly shaken and scared. Sam felt his heart go out to the kid for several seconds then he forced himself to shake off the compassion and let the aggravation take over once again.

"You're that Wolenczak kid, aren't you?" The boy nodded quietly.

The blond-haired man rose to his feet and offered his hand to him.

"My name is Mitch Brady. I'm a marine biologist from Berkeley…"

"I'm Commander Sam Sheppard, Mr. Brady," ignoring the gesture, "and neither of you should be in here. How did you get past security?"

The kid rose to his feet. "It's my fault, Commander. I needed to see if Captain Bridger is okay."

Sheppard glanced at the computer, and it didn't take long for him to figure out that the kid had managed to hack into the security system. He walked over to the computer and pulled the plug from the wall feeling his irritation rising within him. Sheppard turned to face Lucas allowing his annoyance to show on his face. _Damn it, kid, you better not have messed with anything._

"Look, kid, I've heard about your computer genius skills but you need to keep your hands off." He gave Lucas a stern look. "Did you do anything? Or have you just been spying?" He saw the boy swallow hard, a guilty look flooding his face. Sam groaned. He took a step towards Lucas and the other man stepped in front of the kid.

"He's scared, Commander."

Sam glared at him but took a few steps back, looking at the kid. "What's your name, kid?"

"L-Lucas," he stammered.

"Lucas, answer my question. Did you do anything or did you just spy?"

Mitch put a hand on Lucas' shoulder. "He hasn't done anything, have you Lucas?"

Lucas shook his head. "You have to get Captain Bridger out, Commander."

"I'm trying, kid. Now listen to me. I shouldn't have to tell you that things are dangerous right now. Every move we make must be calculated carefully. There is no room for surprises here. I don't know how either of you got past security but I want you both out now."

Sheppard cast a firm glare in their directions. He didn't have time to be dealing with this. He walked to the door and searched for an officer.

"I'm not leaving!" shouted Lucas. "Captain Bridger is in there and he needs me. I can help you, damn it!"

Sam turned to look at the stubborn teenager in front of him. He took a few steps towards him and caught a threatening look coming from the other man in the room. Sam scowled, trying to gauge the other man. _Damn kid was out of control._ If the only guy hadn't been here, Sam might have been tempted to shake the kid.

"Look, kid, I get it; the captain is your guardian. I know you're worried about him. The best way you can help him right now is to stay out it and let the professionals handle things." Sheppard could see the teenager was breathing heavily. The kid had clenched his fists into tight balls and his face was white. _Oh, for Pete's sake, I never signed on to babysit some hot-headed teenager._

"Calm down, Lucas. The commander is right. Waiting is hard but it's all we can do right now."

"You're wrong, Mitch! Leave me the hell alone!"

Sam's jaw dropped in surprise when the skinny, blond-haired kid shoved past him, nearly putting him on his butt. The kid was a lot stronger than he gave him credit for. Before he knew, the boy bolted from the room and took off down the hallway like a frightened jack rabbit.

"Dammit!" Sam pulled out his radio. "Lt. Shanks, that Wolenczak kid is roaming free in the hallways—Get him and bring to me right away!"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Katie took a sip of her coffee as she took a short break from her search for Lucas. She hadn't had any luck finding the teenager. She was beginning to feel very concerned. She knew there was no way Lucas would allow himself to be taken off the premises. He was here somewhere and she feared he was hiding. A part of her had hoped that Lucas' new friend would have been able to keep an eye on him, but she probably had been mistaken. Lucas was stubborn kid if he wanted to be. Katie felt positive he wasn't thinking straight. She'd checked outside and he was nowhere to be seen. The perimeter had been secured and the press circumvented. Katie leaned against the wall and closed her eyes briefly. She felt her heart beating fast in her chest. She hadn't been able to calm herself down since the whole thing started. While she was concerned for Lucas, all she could think about was Ben. Hell, she hadn't even been able to figure out her feelings for him yet and they'd been divorced for a year. She used to think she hated him. She had been stupid to marry him to begin with, but he was so damned loveable. And she had been so young. She should have listened to her parents. They warned her against marrying so young. Katie couldn't help it. She had fallen head over heels in love with him. In her heart, she knew she still loved him. _Please God, don't let anything happen to Ben._ The most frustrating thing was he just wouldn't grow up. He clung to his ridiculousness. While everyone else was maturing, he remained the same. All the qualities she loved about him and found endearing also aggravated the hell out of her. _Gawd, Ben, why can't you just grow up? Why can't I stop loving you?_ Katie blinked back tears, trying to keep herself calm. It felt like her whole life and all that she cared about was being ripped away from her. _Don't be a hero, Ben. Please come back to me._

"Commander?"

Katie blinked a few times and felt herself jump at the voice. She forced herself out of her daydream, and she looked up to see Commander Sheppard and Lucas' biologist friend standing in front of her. Sheppard looked genuinely ticked off.

"Have you seen that Wolenczak kid?"

"No, Commander. I've been searching for him but haven't found a trace."

"Dammit! I found him hacking into the security system and when I tried to question him, he took off!" There was no mistaking the frustration in Sheppard's voice. "Do what you can to find him!"

Katie cupped her hands tighter around her coffee mug. "I'll find him, Commander." Katie chewed her lip as the man stormed off down the hallway. She exhaled loudly when she realised she was holding her breath.

"What's with that guy?"

Katie looked at Mitch. "He's normally a little high strung but six people have already died. Things aren't going well!" Katie heard the bite in her words and heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to take this out on you." She saw the man nod.

"I'm sorry too. I promised you I'd take care of Lucas, and I let him run off."

Katie shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. What's your name again?"

"Mitch."

"It's complicated, Mitch, and I probably should have taken Lucas with me. How was he doing?"

"Not good, Commander. I'm not a psychologist or anything but that kid is barley holding together. What the heck happened to him to make him so freaked out? His actions weren't what I'd call normal."

Katie forced a weak smile. "It's long a story. Let's just say that he has been through hell and back lately. He's holding together better than most would under the circumstances."

"Seems like you and Lucas have a lot of secrets, Commander. Maybe one day someone might clue me in on them over, say, a cup of coffee?"

Katie smirked. "You've probably earned that."

"C'mon, I'll help you find Lucas. He couldn't have gotten far. My instincts tell me he'll be searching out another computer to hack into."


	5. Chapter 5

_oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas kept running down the corridor until he felt a cramp developing in his side. The convention centre was large, and he figured if he kept moving around enough no one would find him. _There has to be another computer I can get my hands on somewhere._ Lucas leaned against the wall listening to his own heart beating rapidly in his chest as he massaged his side. The corridors were darkened except for the lights streaming in the windows from the street lights. Lucas supposed that they wanted to discourage people from being in this part of the building. Pushing himself away from the wall, he continued more slowly down the hallway until he came to a large room. As he peered inside, he saw that it was a large meeting room nearly identical to the one where the UEO Summit was being held. Lucas wandered into the room and walked towards the large baby grand piano on the stage. The lights came to life as he entered the room causing him to blink and look up. Lucas blinked several times as he approached the piano bench and sat down. He was used to automatic lightening from SeaQuest, but it always seemed to surprise him anyways. He leaned his elbow on the edge of the piano and hit middle C several times. How long had it been since he left the room? How long had it been since Dosa took everyone hostage? He should have been in there with everyone banged his fist on the keyboard in agonizing despair. _Dammit, I hate this!_

Standing up and shaking the sting from his fist, he scanned the room. The room looked so identical, it was uncanny. Lucas started to focus on the similarities. _Captain Bridger and Doctor Westphalen were sitting at that table with the rest of the crew. Admiral Noyce was sitting at that table with his wife._ Lucas chewed his lip as he wondered just how similar the rooms truly were. He hadn't paid that much attention because he'd been so bored with the whole event. All he'd wanted to do was get back to his room and look at his car magazine. Running a hand through his hair, he started to notice the inconspicuous things: the ventilation system in the ceiling, the vents near the floor—large enough to fit a full-sized person, way bigger than SeaQuest. There was a sprinkler system in the ceiling, four doors that allowed entry to the room, and four faux windows with blue curtains. Lucas walked towards the curtain on the stage, pulling it back and peering behind it to see another large entrance door. It looked like a service entrance of some kind—a big enough entry to allow something as large as a car or truck inside. Did the other room have the same type of access? Did Dosa know it was there? Did Sheppard have the blueprints to the building?

Lucas reached out, yanking on the door and wasn't surprised to find it locked. He searched for a way for it to unlock and saw a coded lock system. It didn't take him long to hack it, and he yanked it open to peer outside, trying to figure out his location in the building. If the room Captain Bridger was in was similar to this one, Lucas felt sure he would be able to smuggle himself in undetected. Lucas reached into his pocket and pulled out his com-link once again. He'd been wracking his brain trying to figure out the message from Captain Bridger. He pulled the back off the unit and looked inside. The only thing he could think of was that 2010 was a channel number. It was the only thing that made sense, and it was worth a try. He quickly switched the channel and just as he did, the com-link vibrated and flashed a code at him. Furrowing his brow, he flipped the handheld device over and read the words: SECURED. STAY PUT. Lucas blinked a few times. The message was abundantly clear. The captain had received his message and switched to a secured channel—likely an encrypted one. The captain had also issued a command. He was to stay put. Lucas frowned and shook his head. _Sorry, Captain, I can't stay put this time. You need my help._ Lucas typed a message back: NO. DOOR ^ YOU.

Lucas stuffed the unit back into his pocket while continuing to try and ascertain his location. From the looks of things, he was at the very back of the building. He tapped the wall firmly as he gathered his thoughts. He needed to get his hands on the blue prints of the building so he could find out exactly where everyone was and he needed to find a computer. Lucas closed the outer door again and secured it. He started to head towards the door when he heard some voices in the distance. He recognised them and felt his heart rate increase. He wasn't sure if he should allow himself to be caught or if he was better off on his own. It pissed him off when everyone treated him like some stupid kid and didn't let him help. He was perfectly capable to help. Lucas felt his heard his com-link ring out loudly. _Dammit, I should have turned off the sound!_ He reached inside his pocket and quickly read the message: OBEY. STAY PUT. Then the com-link rang out again and the message read: SERIOUS.

"Is someone there?" came the voice from outside the room.

Lucas heaved a sigh as the com-link rang out again. He shook his head knowing it was too late to hide. He glanced at the message again: MEAN IT. Lucas groaned as he closed his eyes and he muttered a few choice words to himself. _Alright, already, Captain! I hear you._

"I'm here," replied Lucas loudly. He looked at the com-link in irritation. He typed in a message: OK. ^DOOR^.

"Lucas? Is that you?"

Lucas looked up to see Commander Hitchcock and Mitch enter the room. Both of them had worried expressions plastered across their faces.

"Lucas, thank God. I was worried about you," replied the commander.

"Don't."

Mitch clasped him on the shoulder. "Are you ok?" Lucas nodded solemnly.

"You can't take off like that, Lucas. For Pete's sake, this place is crawling with armed terrorists!" Lucas could hear the scolding tone in Commander Hitchcock's voice.

"There are six armed gunmen in the conference room on the other side of the building. No others have been seen anywhere else. The perimeter has been secured as per procedure," replied Lucas, plainly putting the matter in perspective and also showing that he wasn't out of control of himself. "Stop treating me like a kid, Commander! I can take care of myself!" Lucas saw Katie scowl at him. Her irritation wasn't lost on him. However, if anyone knew Lucas and what he was capable of, it would be her. Lucas didn't appreciate her being so damned condescending.

"Hey there," warned Mitch, "You don't need to get all bent out of shape, Lucas. The commander is just concerned…"

Lucas shook Mitch's hand off him as his com-link rang loudly again. "Butt out!"

Commander Hitchcock raised a brow. "Lucas, is that your communication link from SeaQuest ringing?" Lucas glared at her. _Stupid. Why didn't I turn off the sound?_

"Lucas?"

Lucas groaned. "Yes, it's my pal unit."

"How are you getting messages on it?" Lucas fished the com-link out of his pocket and read the message again: 10-4. _He found the door!_

"I just can," was his annoyed reply. Lucas could feel his anxiety level building up again. When he was proactive and focussed, he felt like he had some measure of control but when everything stopped, he had too much time to think—to worry—to panic.

Lucas heard the commander heave a weary sigh, and she surprised him by firmly grabbing his arm. Lucas squint an eye at her, trying to figure out her actions.

"Lucas, I know that you have your own ideas in all this. Please promise me that you won't do anything stupid, okay?"

"The captain could be dead for all YOU know, Commander. Ben could be dead!" Lucas saw her flinch at his words. His heart pinched when he saw the hurt expression and for a few seconds, he felt remorse for saying it but he brushed it aside. "Who the hell cares if I do anything stupid? At least I'm DOING SOMETHING!" Lucas allowed his voice to ring out loudly.

Mitch cleared his throat, raising a hand in the air. "Hold up there a minute. Commander Hitchcock has a point and you know it! You need to stand down on this, Lucas. I hate to state the obvious, but you're a 15 year old boy. Yes, you're smart—brilliant even—but still a boy. We have to leave this stuff to the pros, man. Alright?"

Lucas felt his anger burning deep with in him. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming in Mitch's face. Then, as if by some kind of freakish coincidence, his com rang out again. Lucas looked down on it and it read: STAND DOWN. Lucas felt tears burn in his eyes. He felt so damned tired.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan felt himself startle as Ford approached him from behind. He'd been lost in his thoughts thinking about how to proceed about negotiating to get more hostages released. Dosa had said he would allow Ben to be released as soon as the food arrived. One look at the pale man made Nathan wonder if Ben was going to survive. Nathan was still standing by Kristin who was working hard to keep Ben comfortable and keeping pressure of the gun wound.

"How's he doing, Captain?"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" barked a voice that caused both men to jump. Nathan saw one of the gunmen glare at Jonathan as he whirled around and pointed his weapon at them. It was likely that the man had zoned out for a few minutes and Jonathan's movement had startled him

Jonathan raised his hands. "Just checking on my crewman." The knowledge that Jonathan wasn't trying anything funny seemed to appease the man and he turned away, uninterested again.

Nathan and Jonathan exchanged a look. Nathan knew everyone was on edge, most especially the gunmen. Dosa didn't seem to communicate much with his mercenaries. He seemed to be standing off alone, lost in his own thoughts.

"He's lost so much blood," said Kristin softly, answering Jonathans question.

"He's too stubborn to die, Doc," replied Jonathan. It was no secret that there was no lost love between Jonathan and Ben, but Nathan knew Jonathan was as worried about Ben as he was. The crew had become a family on this tour of duty, and everyone cared for each other a great deal.

Nathan motioned to Jonathan to follow him. They took a few steps towards the Admiral, who was sitting quietly, lost in his own thoughts.

"How's the crew?"

"Fine, sir. Just looking for opportunities to help."

Nathan nodded. "What did you send out on that hostage?"

"I drew a floor plan of where everything is located including hostages…doors, windows, vents etc."

"Good thinking!"

"Captain, what are you planning?"

"Identify the enemy, determine his objectives and counter his plans?"

Jonathan groaned. "Captain." Nathan could see his first-in-command's mind working overtime.

"Stay alert, Jonathan. Follow my lead. Dosa has made it clear that this is a suicide mission to him. He doesn't expect to get out alive. He has nothing to lose here."

"Hostages?"

"My goal is to negotiate to get as many out as possible. In the end, if that doesn't work, we have to take control of this room, Commander. Talk to the crew and mingle around. This room might be full of civilians but at least one fourth of them are able-bodied men. I don't want any dead heroes on my hands. Catch my drift?" Nathan looked intently at Jonathan as he nodded. Nathan wanted people on guard and ready, but he didn't want any surprises.

As Jonathan turned to walk away, Nathan felt his com-link vibrate in his pocket. _Good boy, Lucas, you figured out my clue!_ Nathan read the message and scowled. Lucas could be a stubborn kid when he wanted to be. Nathan wanted to be sure that Lucas wouldn't be giving him any surprises either. At least now they had a way to communicate somewhat. It was limited to three or four words and symbols, but it was better than nothing. He could use it to his advantage to get messages to Sheppard as well if he could just keep Lucas level-headed and not running off on his own. Several messages later told him that he hopefully had relayed his orders well to Lucas. However, Lucas had informed him that there was a door behind him. Nathan furrowed his brow as he paced the stage. _What are you trying to tell me, kiddo?_ In that moment his vid-link ringed out loudly. He had left it sitting on the table. Nathan saw Dosa rise to his feet and approach the table alongside him.

"Bridger." Nathan saw Sheppard's face appear on screen.

"I have your uplink, Captain."

Nathan nodded towards Dosa, who picked up the vid-link and turned to face all the hostages in the room solemnly.

"Onscreen now!"

Nathan watched as the quiet man standing before him became instantly menacing. He had taken on the role of his mission and had ceased to allow his humanity to rule him.

"My name is Syed Dosa. I represent the People's Liberation Army. Our group wishes to be free of UEO dictatorship. United Earth Organization is spouting to everyone that it is a peacekeeping group. It's all propaganda and lies. Several weeks ago, my leaders approached the headquarters of the UEO and asked for peaceful talks and to make an alliance with them. They refused to hear our pleas. Everything broke down at that point and one of our leaders was taken into custody. We want him released! The UEO killed several others in our group without batting an eyelash. They called them expendable. Fine! We can play that game too! We have already killed six hostages and will continue to do so until Abdul Singh is released and exonerated. Let me ask you…who decides who is expendable? Mark my words, everyone who is hearing this transmission, undersea territorial skirmishes will continue to ensue over the mineral-rich ocean. The ocean belongs to us all! Not just to the fat-cats of the UEO. Confederations are converging. They co-exist in dangerous proximity to one another. Tension is rising. People are sick of starving for no reason when we have the natural resources we need at our fingertips." Nathan shifted from one foot to another as he studied Dosa's expression closely. _C'mon, Nathan, what is Dosa really saying underneath all those platitudes? He's Singh's puppet, for Pity's sake. What's making this man do Singh's bidding?_

"In one hour, we will execute six more hostages if I do not see some sign that Abdul Singh is in the process of being released."

Dosa hit the vid-link harshly with his fist to end the transmission and sent it spinning across the table. Nathan saw him look at him with a vicious look.

"Where's the goddamn food, Bridger?"

"I'll talk to Sheppard, Mr. Dosa," was Nathan's quiet reply. _Keep everything on a nice even-keel, Nathan. Keep things normal. Control the emotional upheaval._

Nathan grabbed the vid-link and contacted Sheppard. From the corner of his eye, he could see Dosa eying him closely. Nathan couldn't seem to accurately read him any more as his emotions and behaviour seemed to Ping-Pong.

"Sheppard? Where the hell is the food?" Nathan spoke loudly and with an obvious sense of authority and command. _Take the authority on behalf of the hostage-taker._

"It's here, Captain."

Nathan looked at Dosa for orders on how he wanted things to play out. Dosa crossed the room again, eyeing Ben's unconscious form being hovered over by Kristin. He looked at one of his men standing close by.

"Antef, help the Admiral bring that man to the door." Dosa looked at Nathan. "Go to the door and get the food, Captain."

"Let the doctor go with him. He's going to need medical care."

Dosa squint an eye at him. "Don't insult my intelligence, Bridger. The doctor here will come in very handy should another one of your crew decide to do something stupid." Nathan watched as the man called Antef roughly dragged Ben down the stairs as Kristin protested the coarse treatment.

Dosa grabbed Kristin's arm and yanked her back. "Back off, Doctor." The threat rang in the air as Nathan bit his lip hard enough to taste blood. He could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck standing up as he watched the scene play out.

Dosa wrapped an arm around Kristin's shoulder and drew her in close to his lips. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to such a handsome woman as you."

Nathan cleared his throat. "Then let the Admiral go with him. Admiral Noyce would be much more useful to you outside this room. He knows UEO policies and procedures, and he'll make things work much faster." Nathan walked slowly towards the door watching as Dosa released Kristin with a shove, toppling her to her knees. Nathan grimaced when he saw her stifle a sob and remain where she fell. _So help me, God, I'm going to kill that man if he touches her one more time!_ Dosa walked down the stairs of the stage and followed Nathan as they approached the door. Antef and Bill struggled to carry Ben's weight to the exit. Ben remained unconscious and blood was seeping through the make-shift bandages that Kristin had made from the hem of her dress. Dosa pounded on the door.

"Open the door, Bridger. No funny business!"

The door opened with several guns trained on him. Nathan could see all six gunmen with their weapons cocked and ready. One false move and he would be blown into the middle of next week. Nathan could see Sheppard standing in the hallway with a grim expression on his face. Several medics stood in the waiting with a gurney, ready to whisk Ben away to the hospital. Nathan felt his heart racing as he foolishly hoped to catch a glimpse of Lucas in the hall as well. He was hoping the kid could see him so he would be reassured that he was okay. Nathan looked at the floor to see several boxes filled with food on the floor.

"Antef, release the crewman and the Admiral," commanded Dosa from behind the door. _Yes, the admiral is free too._ Nathan watched as Ben was dragged harshly outside the room and all but tossed on the ground. No one made a move towards the injured man. Everyone was frozen in their places awaiting orders. Nathan heard Ben moan when his head hit the ground. _Hang in there, kid. Don't give up on me now._ Nathan blinked hard for several seconds as he reminded himself that Ben wasn't Robert. One small part of him had seen Robert's face instead. Ben and Robert had been good friends in the academy. _Fight hard, Ben._

"You two, bring in the boxes." Nathan pivoted on his heel to see Dosa pointing to two women who were sitting next to the door. They appeared to be in their late forties, dressed in fancy, formal evening gowns. Why on earth would ask them to lift heavy boxes?

The two women rose to their feet, trembling as they went to drag in the boxes. Nathan could see it was an onerous task for them. It was obvious the boxes were extremely heavy. He made a move to help them but Dosa reached out and grabbed his arm roughly.

"Don't move, Captain."

As soon as the first woman dragged in the box, Dosa lifted his weapon and shot her point blank in the head. The woman fell to the ground in a heap. Gasps of horror filled the room and the hallway. Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling helpless. _What the hell are you trying to prove, you son of a bitch!_ As Nathan watched, the other woman froze in her steps as she eyed her companion lying in a pool of blood on the floor. The woman looked terrified.

"Get the rest!" Dosa's voice bellowed out across the quietness of the room. Everyone was waiting on baited breath. The woman sobbed loudly as she leaned to drag in the other box. Dosa raised his weapon again, and Nathan closed his eyes. He'd felt helpless so many times in his life but it never got any easier. Several seconds went by and Nathan didn't hear anything. Opening his eyes, he saw Dosa staring harshly at the woman.

"Pick two other ladies and leave. NOW!"

Nathan watched as the woman hurriedly grabbed two other ladies hands and retreated from the room. They stepped over the body of the dead woman, nearly slipping in her blood as they left. Nathan felt a shiver run up his spine. Dosa leaned over and shoved the dead woman's body out the door before slamming the door once again. _The man is insane._


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N thanks for reading along...for the follows and faves as well. Special thanks to JuJuone23 for your steady support. It encourages me to keep plugging away at the story. Reviews are my only payment :)**_

The shot rang out in the air, echoing around the building and sending chills up and down Lucas' spine. Mitch and Commander Hitchcock both eyed each other as Lucas saw worried expressions flood their faces. Before anyone could say a word, Lucas bolted from the room.

"Lucas, wait! Stop!" came Mitch's voice from behind him.

Lucas ignored the call and kept running until he reached the main foyer where the Summit hostages were being held. His stomach churned when he saw the dead woman lying on the floor. His timing couldn't have been worse as he scrunched up his face in disgust and horror, catching a full on glimpse of her remains. A paramedic cast him a compassionate look as he covered her body with a white sheet. _Oh, Gawd_! He scanned the area and sucked in a sharp breath when his eyes rested on Ben. His legs felt like jelly as he rushed to his side. _BEN!_ He could hear Commander Hitchcock's anguished gasp when she came running up behind him. Lucas kneeled beside Ben who was moaning softly. Several paramedics had rushed to his side and were administering first aid. Lucas could see tears in Commander Hitchcock's eyes as she covered her mouth and kneeled across from Ben.

"Please stay back, ma'am. We need space to work. You too, kid," replied one of medics who was applying pressure to what looked like a gun wound. Lucas felt himself being pulled away, and he glanced behind him to see Mitch.

"Lemme go! He's hurt!" Lucas tried to shake off Mitch's firm grip but Mitch held his ground and continued to pull him back.

"Let the medics do their job."

Lucas felt his heart racing with fear as he stared in disbelief. "Ben!"

Katie blinked back tears. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's lost a lot of blood." The medic looked sympathetically at her, and then turned to his colleague. "Get me that blanket; he's in shock!"

Lucas stood still feeling like events were going in slow motion. He watched as the medics stabilised Ben, put an oxygen mask on him and carefully got him on the gurney. The two medics worked quickly to get an IV into both Ben's arms. Ben was still, his face pale. Lucas almost thought he looked dead as he lay there not moving. He felt tears fall down his cheeks as he watched the medics work. He could see Katie trembling as she inundated them with questions about Ben's prognosis.

"Can I come with you in the ambulance?" she finally said when she got no other answers from the men.

A medic turned to her. "Are you family?"

"I'm his wife." Lucas blinked several times, somewhat surprised when he heard the words. He could tell Katie was as frightened for Ben as him.

The medic looked skeptically at her. "Alright, you can come," was the reply.

Katie turned to Mitch. "Please watch Lucas for me, okay? He needs someone to be here for him. Can I trust you to do that?" Her look was penetrating.

Mitch nodded seriously. "You can count on it, Commander."

Lucas groaned as he swiped at the tears on his cheeks. "Commander…"

"Lucas, just shut-up and listen to me. I need to know you're going to be safe and not do anything stupid, alright? Keep your cell phone on, and I'll call you as soon as I know anything about Ben. Stay with Mitch. Promise me, ok?" Lucas squeezed his eyes shut for several seconds and opened them again. "Lucas, please!" Her voice sounded desperate this time. Lucas could see the medics moving the gurney with Ben on it towards the exit door.

"OK. Just go and be with Ben. Tell him I love him when he wakes up."

Katie nodded and gave Lucas a quick hug. "Oh and Lucas, my dad is here; please let him know about Ben and where I am. Tell him I'll call him."

"Lady, if you're coming, get a move on!" said the urgent voice of the medic who was disappearing out of the building. Lucas watched as Katie took off down the corridor and disappeared out the door.

Lucas bawled up his fists as his eyes seemed to be drawn to the covered body on the floor. Blood was seeping through the white sheet and pooling around the body. Suddenly his stomach heaved a few times and before he could do anything about it, he leaned forward and vomited onto the floor. He felt Mitch still holding him from behind. The strength of the man was keeping him from falling over as he violently gagged and retched.

"It's okay, Lucas." Lucas could hear the soothing words in his ear as he willed himself to calm down. When the retching stopped, he couldn't help but chance another look at the body on the floor. The sight was just so repulsive that he couldn't make himself look away.

Mitch gently turned him around. "Hey there, you ok now?" Lucas looked up and blinked back more tears. _You're such a freaking baby, Lucas! Stop looking at it!_ Lucas felt himself nod as he wiped the back of his mouth with his sleeve. He felt Mitch lead him over to a chair that was in the foyer and then watched as the man tossed a bunch of blankets that had been on a cart in the hallway onto the vomit, attempting to clean up the mess. Lucas leaned forward and put his head in his hands. _Oh, Gawd, was Ben gonna die? He didn't look good. What about Captain Bridger? And Doctor Westphalen? Were they going to die too?_ Lucas' hands began to tremble, and he felt himself shaking all over. He looked up to see Mitch returning to his side and kneeling down in front of him.

"Ben is your friend, isn't he?" Lucas nodded. "I know that was pretty intense and unimaginably surreal, and I know you're scared but don't give up hope, Lucas. We always have hope. Do you believe me?" Lucas nodded again. "Good. I have friends in there too, and there is no way I'm giving up my hope in them. They need me to keep the faith that they're going to survive and be okay."

"I-I'm so…" Lucas couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. _I'm afraid Captain Bridger will die, and I'll be all alone again. Oh, Gawd._ Mitch clasp a firm hand on his shoulder as he rose to his feet and sat beside him.

"It's okay if you can't put it into words."

"I don't want anyone to die, Mitch."

"No one wants anyone else to die," came a familiar voice.

Lucas looked up and managed a small smile when he saw Colonel Hitchcock standing there. The man gave him a warm, friendly smile. Lucas had met the Colonel a handful times when he and his wife had visited the commander on SeaQuest, and he'd really liked him. The Colonel had said that Lucas was like the son he always wished he'd had. Commander Hitchcock was his only child and a girl, and the Colonel said he always wished he'd had a son as well. The last time he had visited, Lucas had spent and enjoyed the better part of an afternoon showing the Colonel how to play a video game. It still made him laugh as he remembered how horrible the man was at flight simulator video games. The thought was almost incomprehensible to Lucas considering the man had piloted the world's best air crafts for most of his air force career. Part of Lucas figured the man was just pulling his leg.

"Colonel!"

"How're holding up, son?"

Lucas rubbed his clammy hands on his pants. "Ben was shot, Colonel. Katie went to the hospital with him." Lucas heard the catch in his own voice. "He didn't look so good." Lucas glanced at Mitch who was sitting quietly listening. "Colonel, this is my friend, Mitch Brady. He's a scientist from Berkeley."

The Colonel offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Brady. I'm Colonel Rick Hitchcock."

Mitch rose to his feet and shook the Colonel's hand. "Nice to meet you, Colonel. Please call me Mitch." Lucas saw the Colonel nod.

"Come on with me, Lucas. I was just on my way to speak with Commander Sheppard. I've got some information for him, and you might find it interesting as well." Lucas perked up and rose to his feet. "You're welcome to come as well, Mr. Brady."

"He has too, sir. Your daughter made him my babysitter." Lucas cast Mitch a forlorn, almost bitter look.

Mitch smirked and clapped Lucas on the back. "You're looking at it all wrong, Lucas. I'm your friend, and we're in this together. Besides, I need to remind you to keep the faith."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan sat at the table holding a glass of water. It'd been almost five hours since the whole skirmish had started. It was well past one in the morning. Glancing around the room, he could see that some of the hostages had their heads on the tables. Everyone was weary as well as frightened. The gunmen had all assembled in the corner together to eat the food that was brought in. They appeared to be talking amongst themselves, all the while keeping a tight eye on the hostages. On the other side of the room, Dosa was sitting by himself eating while he was opening and closing the chamber on his gun. Nathan felt a cold, clammy hand touch his hand. He looked down at the perfectly manicured hand.

"Your hands are still covered in blood," he said. He immediately regretted his words when he looked up to see Kristin's tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Kristin." He clasped her hand in his and reached for a glass of water on the table. Pouring the tepid water on her hands, he tried to wipe away the dried up blood with the cloth napkin. She sat quietly watching.

"You did everything you could, Kris."

"He lost so much blood."

"Let's keep things in perspective, alright? You stopped the bleeding, and we got him out quickly. I bet he will be just fine." He continued scrubbing the blood away noticing that his were just as soiled. "In time, the brat will be up to his same ole money-making scams, and you'll be scolding him and complaining to me." Nathan offered her a warm smile. Kristin rewarded him with a small smile in return.

"Waiting around is killing me, Nathan."

"I know. Negotiation is a fine art, and it takes time." Nathan finished one of her hands, and she continued to wash her other on her own. "I'm still trying to read Dosa. He's not very connected with his men. He's standoffish. Something happened to make him pull away."

"Why are you playing negotiator, Nathan? I may not be used to hostage-taking but I know a little about how it works."

Nathan raised an eye brow. "How so?"

"This isn't the first time I've nursed a gun wound from a hostage situation."

"Hm, ok. One day you'll have to tell me about it." Nathan poured some water on his own hands and scrubbed the blood from his hands. "Dosa has identified with me on some level. Sheppard recognised it right away, as did I. He's not stable, and he's hesitating-second guessing his own thoughts. On one hand, he's killing, but on another, he seems willing to let hostages leave. He's torn. I'm going to tap into that uncertainty—into his humanity."

"I'm not sure he has any, Nathan."

Nathan wiped his hands on the top of his dress pants. "He does, Kris; it's just he's forgotten it." Nathan rose to his feet and patted Kristin on the shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

"To talk to Dosa."

"Oh, Nathan, be careful. I don't trust him. He's quite literally psychotic. He displays all the signs of a mental disorder."

"I'll be careful."

Nathan turned his attention across the room and glanced at Jonathan over his shoulder. He was glad to see his second in command lead the rest of the crew to be with Kristin. He smiled when he saw Tim usher Janet Noyce to their table as well. Nathan had been worried about the woman ever since Bill had left. She had put her head on the table and hadn't moved. Nathan could only imagine how frightened she must be. Nathan also knew that Bill would be beside himself with worry, wondering if Janet was safe.

As he slowly walked towards Dosa, Nathan eyed the rest of the hostages. Thankfully no one had tried to be a hero. Nathan was grateful that Jonathan, Tim and Miguel had managed to get a strong message across to the able-bodied men to lay low, making themselves invisible. It was always better in a hostage situation to draw attention away from the hostages. Hostages gave the hostage-takers power. Nathan wanted to remove as much of that power as he could. Nathan could see Dosa eyeing him critically as he strode across the room. _Be confident but humble._ _Keep your hands visible. Make eye contact._ Dosa leaned back in his chair as he stuffed a sandwich into his mouth and washed it down with a can of coke.

"Would've been nice to have some beer, Bridger." Dosa slammed the can on the table and belched loudly while he continued spinning the inside chamber of his gun. He looked up at Bridger and slammed the gun on the table firmly.

"So, Captain, what made you become a UEO pawn?"

"I never planned to join the UEO." Nathan pulled a chair out. "May I sit?"

"Be my guest." Dosa reached out and clasped the handgun, spinning it in a circle.

"My son was killed in the line of duty and I quit."

Dosa looked interested. "How old was he?"

"22." Nathan heard the catch in his voice. Whenever he thought of Bobby, he became overwhelmed with emotion. "The world changed—my world changed as well when my wife died, and I was offered another chance to make a difference."

Dosa chuckled. "You're a goddamned fool if you think the UEO is making a difference."

"Things are better than they were, Mr. Dosa. Undersea borders are being maintained, and confederations have been working together to create peace. The world used to be under constant threat of war…"

"Nothing has changed!" Dosa spat out. _Careful, Nathan, back off._ "There're colonies and farms cropping up all over—families working their fingers to the bloody bone just to feed their children!"

"As captain and crew of SeaQuest, we've been trying to reach out to people like that and help them. We're spearheading innovative ways to grow crops and maintain a healthy balance. My ship has a large science contingent working non-stop at just that—making it easier for families to survive."

Dosa laughed in disbelief and shook his head. "You seriously don't get it, do you? None of that matters. People don't want to be regulated to death, Captain. We just want our freedom, our own rules and our own government." Dosa picked up his gun and cocked it. "We tried to talk to the UEO, Bridger. They don't care about the little guy. They only give a damn for their own agenda." Dosa rose to his feet and pointed the gun at Nathan. Nathan swallowed hard in spite of himself.

"I'm sick to death of this friggen cat-and-mouse game. It's going to go on forever unless someone makes a stand. Abdul Singh is that man! He is willing to make a stand and so is his brother, Ibrahim."

Nathan felt his pulse increase. "I understand your quandary, Mr. Dosa. The world is a different place than when we grew up. The UEO is just trying to keep the peace." _Tread carefully, Nathan. Appeal to his humanity. Calm down his emotions._ "You can be the better man in all this."

"Are you a betting man, Bridger?" Nathan inhaled deeply, trying to figure out where Dosa was going with the question.

"I've been known to make a bet or two over poker."

Dosa stared at him for a minute and then sighed, dropping his hand to his side once again as he raked his other through his hair. One minute he looked like he would open fire on the whole room and the next, he looked like a frightened child, unsure of himself. Nathan couldn't pin him down.

"Oh, forget it! All of you are goddamn UEO hypocrites. You preach peace but sit around and do nothing! Don't you get it? Don't you understand that the only way to secure peace is by strength?" Nathan felt his heart beat slowly calm down as Dosa lowered his weapon. _He's so unpredictable. Volatile. Breathe, Nathan._ Dosa sighed and slammed his fist on the table. "I never signed up to kill people. Gawd." He looked at his hands. "These hands hold my children, for Pete's sake."

"Sometimes there is no one to give the orders, Mr. Dosa. Sometimes you have to be the one to weigh up the situation and make your own choices. Just as long as you're willing to stand by the outcome, right or wrong." Nathan saw Dosa look at him for several seconds. Nathan thought he could see some compassion and remorse in his eyes. "It's not too late to release us and go home to your children, Mr. Dosa." Nathan saw Dosa's face drain of all colour and his eyes take an ominous turn. Then the man dropped his gaze to his watch.

"Thirty minutes to the next demonstration, Captain. If the UEO doesn't show me some progress, six more people are gonna die!" With those final words, Dosa picked up his revolver and walked towards his men.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Glancing at the blueprints to the building, Sheppard drummed his fingers on the table. Colonel Hitchcock has just given him a worrisome rundown on what the SWAT team had in mind for the terrorists. They'd poured over every last minute detail of the floor plan and had devised a plan of attack. Sheppard let out a harsh breath. The one thing he hated about working with the civilian SWAT is they didn't have patience for the long haul. The same thing happened when the UEO was held hostage several weeks ago. The SWAT didn't listen to him, and they jumped the gun. _If those bastards had listened to me the first time then none of this would be happening now!_ Negotiation took time.

"T-there's a back entrance," said Lucas.

Sheppard sighed. _Why the hell was that kid still here?_ "I see that." He was trying to keep his temper.

"I can get you the code." Sheppard scowled at him.

"How?"

Lucas rose to his feet and walked to the blue prints. "This conference room is the exact same as the one the Summit is in." Lucas pointed to the room he had been in. "The doors are the same, the vents, the sprinkler system, everything—it's all the same."

Sheppard groaned, losing his patience. "Kid, nothing you're telling me is new information."

"I hacked that lock, and I can hack the Summit rooms as well, and," Lucas reached his hand into his pocket, pulling something out. "I can communicate with Captain Bridger, Commander. You can give him a heads up, and Dosa will be none the wiser."

Sheppard stared at the handheld unit and furrowed a brow at the kid. "Show me!"

Sheppard watched as the teenager inputted something into the link and then they waited. Within a few seconds, the com rang loudly. Lucas held it up so Sheppard could see. It read: LISTENING.

"Ask him if he can get to the back door undetected."

Lucas inputted the message into the com. "The most you get is three or four words and some symbols. It's not exact so you need to be precise." Sheppard saw the scientist, Mitch, walk up beside Lucas. _This is becoming a side show for Pete's sake. Since when did I work with civilians?_ Sheppard didn't bother hiding his sigh of frustration. The com rang again loudly.

Lucas looked up. "It says MAYBE: STAND BY."

Sheppard licked his bottom lip and paced the room, thinking of how to proceed. He glanced at his watch. He was still waiting to hear if they had made any headway in securing a helicopter. Sheppard wanted to keep things as slow as possible but still make it look like things were progressing. He wanted to show Dosa a helicopter on its way to pick up Singh. He wanted to give Dosa the reassurance he needed to not take any more lives. He wanted to give Bridger the opportunity to barter for more hostages to be released.

"Lucas, how'd you figure out to use that unit off SeaQuest?" asked the Colonel.

"Captain Bridger and I figured it out one day while on shore leave." Lucas flipped the unit over and opened the back. "You can set your channel here and then use this number pad inside to type your message." Lucas pointed to the keypad underneath the panel. "The captain was the one instrumental in figuring out communication links on the boat, and he wanted the personal communication devices to be useful even in a power outage."

Mitch looked over Lucas' shoulder. "Looks like an old-fashion telephone keypad."

"It is pretty much. You just hit the number until you get the right letter. It's primitive and a pain in the butt but it works."

Sheppard looked at the teenager as he fiddled with the com. "Did Commander Hitchcock give you the message from Bridger?"

"She didn't have too. I heard it myself." Sheppard scowled. _Damn kid broke into the secure computer system and spied._

"What did the message mean?"

He saw Lucas look up and hesitate before answering. _So help me, kid, you better not feed me a line!_ "Uh, I dunno, Commander." Sheppard stared at him, not knowing if he was telling the truth.

In that moment, his phone rang in his pocket and fished it out quickly, answering it.

"Sheppard!" His voice came out short and clipped.

"We have the footage you asked for, Commander. We'll patch it through on your mark."

"Roger that; hang tight Lieutenant." Cupping the receiver, Sheppard turned to the guests in his midst. "I'm going to talk to Bridger. I want complete and total silence, understood?" The three other heads in the room all nodded, and the room fell silent.

Sheppard picked up the com link on the table and positioned himself as to not allow anything to be seen behind or around him. He pushed the button and rang through to Bridger. Within seconds, the captain's face appeared on screen.

"We've got some information for Dosa. We think he will be pleased." Sheppard mouthed "hang in there" before Dosa snatched face appeared on the screen.

"Show me!" came the commanding voice.

Sheppard picked up his cell. "Patch it through to the monitors."

Several seconds later, the television monitor in the room came to life, showing a UEO military helicopter in flight.

"That means nothing to me!" shouted Dosa into the vid-link.

"Wait."

The video continued and showed the helicopter landing at the UEO prison facility in Pearl Harbour. It clearly depicted it landing in the courtyard before the link went black. Sheppard looked down at the vid-link and it had gone black as well. He looked up as he set the handheld device on the table. He couldn't be sure if Dosa was appeased or not.

"What now?" Sheppard looked at the teenager who was demanding to know something.

"Now we wait, kid. We wait until Dosa gives us his next orders."

"But was it good enough?"

Sheppard put a hand on his hips and shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine at this point."

He watched as the kid leaned his head against the wall. All four of them stared at each other in silence.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N-Thanks for all the reviews and follows!**_

 _ **Spring has arrived in my neck of the woods so I have less time to write. I'm doing a lot of research on this topic so it's taking time to read and watch documentaries. If you like documentaries on hostage taking, I have watched Hostage:do or die and Flashpoint (drama) and a few others online. It's very interesting to watch a negotiator at work, but so stressful! I'm learning so much about it.**_

 _ **Sorry its going so slow...just wanted to make it as real as possible while still keeping the characters true to themselves. Takes a lot of balancing!**_

 _ **And just as I was ready to post yesterday, my daughter did a faceplant on the trampoline and had to get stitches in her face...sigh...I'm a nervous wreck now. KIDS!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading along :)**_

Nathan opened his eyes, startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He sat up, blinking a couple of times as he willed himself to wake up. Feeling disoriented, it took him several moments to remember where he was and what had happened previously. After seeing the video of the helicopter landing in Pearl, Dosa had retreated to the corner of the room by himself. When Nathan had attempted to talk towards him, he pointed his weapon at him and strongly suggested he back off. Nathan had decided to take the opportunity to get some rest. He had no way to know how long the situation would last, but for the time being, he'd sensed no immediate danger to himself or any of the other hostages. He suggested that everyone try to get some rest, and he'd taken his own advice as well.

"Captain," whispered the persistent voice behind him. Nathan looked up to see a man standing over him looking on the verge of panic. "It's my wife. I think she's gone into labour." Nathan felt his adrenaline surge within him. _So much for keeping the hostages on a low profile._ Nathan glanced around the room to see that most of the other hostages seemed to be sleeping or resting quietly at their tables. He could hear the sound of the man's wife whimpering. Nathan could tell she was trying not to draw attention to herself. Rising to his feet, he gently shook Kristin's shoulders. She wearily looked up at him.

"This man's wife is in labour." Kristin immediately rose to her feet and hurried to where the woman was moaning. Following behind her, Nathan admired how quickly she could go from sound sleep to fully alert.

"At the risk of sounding callous, try to keep her as quiet as possible." Nathan saw Kristin nod silently as she spoke softly to the woman. Her look gave him ample assurance that she would do all she could to not aggravate the situation further.

"Stay with your wife. I'll see what I can do to get her released." The man gave Nathan a grateful look and silently went to be with his wife. Nathan glanced around the room, grateful that all the other people seemed to be resting. _Resting or sleeping hostages are less threatening targets._ He risked a glance at the gunmen and saw that four of them seemed to be sleeping as well. Two were wide awake and seemed on edge. Dosa was sitting by himself on the opposite side of the room talking on his cell phone. _Why hadn't his signal been blocked by now? Outside interference made him unpredictable. Who is he taking orders from?_ Nathan couldn't read his expression and wondered what the man was thinking. He glanced at his watch and saw that several hours had gone by since he'd put his head down. _What are you thinking, Dosa?_

"Captain." Nathan turned in the direction of the soft voice and saw Jonathan walk up to him. "What's up with the woman?"

"She went into labour."

Jonathan's eyes widened in concern and he groaned. "Oh man, couldn't ask for better timing."

Nathan shook his head and chuckled at Jonathan's sarcasm. "Yes, perfect timing." He continued to glance at Kristin who was busy talking to the woman.

"What's Dosa waiting for, Captain? He hasn't said a word since the video was tapped in here."

Nathan shrugged. "Commander, when was the last time you went out on a first date?" Jonathan furrowed his brow in obvious confusion over the question.

Nathan looked intently at his second-in-command. "This has become less a careful game of psychological chess and more a really awkward first date. There are no easy answers and no special tricks. We're all at his mercy."

"So, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that Dosa is a pawn in this, and he has no idea what he's being asked to stand for. I think he's been asked to die for a political agenda that he doesn't even understand."

Jonathan frowned. "What are you saying? You think he's going to back down?"

"I don't know, but if we assume that he's all evil and won't back down or compromise, then we're gonna be less open-minded in an attempt to influence his behavior."

"Captain."

"If our goal is to get everybody out with the normal amount of holes in their bodies, Commander, maybe we need to remember his humanity for a few minutes _before_ we send in the bitchin' street tanks. It's not about exploiting some psychological loophole miswired into his brain so much as it's just listening to him like a human being." Nathan scrubbed a hand over his scruffy five-o'clock-shadowed face. He felt his second-in-command staring at him like he'd lost his mind. "Just watch my six, Jonathan and trust me, alright?"

Jonathan nodded with a look of skepticism on his face. "I trust you implicitly, sir. I just need something more to go on than what you're giving me."

"It's all I got for you for now," Nathan hesitated for a moment. "My gut is telling me to appeal to his humanity. Let's just say that I'm looking for his Achilles' heel, Commander. Jonathan blinked a few times and then nodded. "See what you can do to help Kristin. I'm going to try and engage Dosa again."

"Yes, sir."

Nathan looked over at Dosa, hoping to be able to read the man but couldn't. He saw that Dosa was no longer talking on his cell phone and was sitting with his head leaning back against the wall. The man's face was stoic. The apathy cast fear into Nathan. The only thing he could do was take the chance the man would be approachable. It had been several hours since they had last spoken. Surely, the man would want to make more demands by now. Chills ran up and down his spine as he walked towards the man, making a fair amount of noise so as to not sneak up on him. There was no way that Nathan wanted to startle the man. It concerned Nathan that Dosa seemed so withdrawn. The fact that he had removed himself from even his own men was disconcerting. As he drew closer, he saw Dosa look up and scowl at him.

"What do you want, Bridger?"

"It's getting close to dawn. We're going to need some food."

Dosa looked down at his gun and laughed sarcastically. "Is that all you can think about?"

"I want to help make things work smoothly for all of us."

Dosa squint a skeptical eye at him. "What's going on over there?" Dosa nodded in the direction of the woman. The room was coming to life as it became more obvious that the lady was in distress.

"A woman has gone into labour."

Dosa's brows rose. "Son of a bitch," he muttered. Nathan could see that the information seemed to make Dosa visibly uncomfortable. "Find out if Abdul has been released, Bridger!"

"I'll call Sheppard."

"Get food for everyone." Dosa hesitated for a moment. "I'm not stupid, Bridger. I know that the UEO is stalling for time, and I'm losing my patience. I have nothing to lose in this."

"Why are you doing this, Mr. Dosa? You don't strike me as a man to get caught up in a political war."

"I never asked to be a part of this. I was chosen, Bridger."

"I guessed as much."

Dosa furrowed his brow. "You guessed what?" Dosa eyes darkened ominously. _Use caution, Nathan. Tread carefully._ Nathan clenched one side of his mouth and forced a quiet breath through his teeth as he debated his words carefully. _Keep your emotions balanced. Act casual._

"I've been a captain for a long time, and I've learned to read and evaluate people—my crew specifically. I know how to peg a respectable leader. Dosa, you have all the qualities of an impeccable leader. Your men look at you for guidance and direction. I've seen you give a hand command, and they obey without blinking an eye."

A muscle in Dosa's jaw twitched. "Don't patronize me, Bridger, or so help me God, I will blow your friggen head off!" Dosa rose to his feet and cocked his gun at Nathan. Nathan put his hands in the air but kept his eye contact sharp. _Back off, Nathan. Remove the sense of threat. Build some equity._

"I'm sorry, my intention wasn't to patronise you." Nathan continued to look Dosa confidently in the eye. He made his face as friendly and non-judgemental as possible. "Look, I can't help but notice how you seem torn by this whole thing. Are you just going along with Ibrahim Singh or are you truly convicted?"

Dosa scowled at him and shook his head. He continued holding the gun on Nathan but his hand was wavering slightly. Slowly the gun lowered to the man's side. Dosa licked his lips and chuckled softly.

"You really don't get it do you? This has nothing to do with my convictions, Bridger. My convictions don't mean anything! I refuse to take responsibility for this. The blood is on the UEO's hands." Dosa looked at his gun and brought it up to his other hand and cupped it. "We tried to do things the right way! We tried to get them to hear our pleas! All that did was get my brother killed!" _Your brother killed innocent bystanders, Dosa. Your group didn't try to do anything peacefully. You came in with guns blazing and demanded things that were impossible to give you!_ Dosa took a few threatening steps towards some hostages who appeared to still be resting. Dosa pointed his weapon at one of the women. "Do I need to have convictions to pull the trigger, Bridger? Do I need to agree with a particular political agenda for me to stop killing people?"

"The killing has to stop somewhere, Mr. Dosa. Taking someone's life isn't justice for your brother. We have to tell ourselves that we are better than that; we can figure out how to solve our problems without taking human life." Nathan saw something flicker in the man's eye as he stared at Nathan and then back at the woman. "She's someone's daughter." _Appeal to his humanity. Stay positive and encouraging._

"Go to hell, Bridger! Do you think I care?" Dosa took a few menacing steps closer and grabbed the woman by her hair. The woman gasped and screamed at the harsh treatment.

"Shut-up!" he screamed at her. The woman whimpered but went silent as she visibly trembled. Her companions at her table all pleaded with Nathan with their eyes. Nathan shot a warning look at the men at the table. _Stay put, gentleman; I don't want any dead heroes._

"Murder isn't justice."

Dosa shook his head with a hollow laugh. "You're such a hypocrite, Bridger. How many people have you killed from your pretty little UEO flagship? Don't judge me!" Dosa released the woman's hair with a harsh shove. Her head smacked the table severely. Nathan saw her companion put a protective arm around her. "STOP STALLING! Talk to Sheppard!" Dosa raised his gun in the air and fired off a round of shots into the room. Fear permeated the room once more. He felt his heart do a jump in his chest as he glanced around the room watching innocent bystanders cringe and cower in terror. Nathan was a military man, used to the idea that he might die in the service of something bigger than himself. Nathan had made peace with death a long time ago. It was a whole other matter for all the innocent hostages—they were being asked to die for something useless, something they were helpless against, something that wasn't really their fight.

Nathan grabbed the vid-link and dialed out.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas paced out in the hallway impatiently. Sheppard's team had arrived, and they were in a private session. He had allowed the colonel to stay because of the man's valuable military input and knowledge into what the SWAT was planning. _Television always falsely portrays negotiators working alone._ Every movie Lucas ever watched nearly always showed them the same way - the hostage negotiator as a solitary creature, like a nonviolent Mad Max, working alone _. He heads into the building unaccompanied, cut off from the outside world, and only his cunning brain can get him, and everybody else, out of the situation alive._ Lucas shook his head at the notion. He'd only been on SeaQuest for a short time, and he'd already been involved in more than one terrorist attack and had heard about many others. In reality, it wasn't simply a game of trying to outwit the terrorist. It was a matter of trying to help some desperate person make the best possible choices under some intense circumstances and hopefully everyone gets out alive. Lucas knew that Sheppard would have one hell of a team gathering intel for him. Mostly it irritated Lucas that he was being kept out of the loop. He understood but he hated that everyone kept treating him like some irritating, stupid kid. He could be useful if they just would let him.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor."

Lucas stopped and looked at Mitch who was walking towards him holding a mug towards him. Lucas accepted the drink and sat down in the nearest chair.

"I hate the waiting."

Mitch sat beside him and took a long drink. "So do I. It's always hard on those who have to wait and worry, who can't affect the outcome." Lucas saw the warm smile on the man's face. "How are you holding up, Lucas?"

Lucas shrugged, ignoring the question. "They're trying to end things peacefully, you know. The negotiation team is going to do everything they can before the tactical team takes over." Lucas sighed. He didn't know why he was rambling information to Mitch when he probably already knew it anyways. He just felt so unsettled.

"I think everyone is hoping for a peaceful outcome…" Mitch's conversation was interrupted by the sounds of gunshots coming from the Summit room. Screams and shouts could be heard echoing down the corridor. Lucas stood to his feet, his mug crashing and splattering to the floor. He felt his whole body shaking and he dropped to the floor, curling up into a ball. He closed his eyes as the room started spinning. He covered his head with his hands. _They're all dead. He's killing them all._ Lucas could feel his breathing increase as he tried to make himself as small as possible.

"Hey, Lucas, it's okay, pal. You're fine. The shots have stopped."

Lucas kept rocking and holding his knees tight to his chest. _This isn't real. This isn't happening. None of this is real._ He heard a calm voice speaking to him, but he shook his head, covering his ears. _Go away! Leave me alone! Captain, where are you? Ben, I need you. Please make this feeling go away! Help me!_

"Lucas, listen to me. You're safe. I know this is scary, man, but you're safe."

Lucas felt a hand touch his shoulder, and he shrunk away from the touch. He spun on his backside, switching directions and continued rocking. Images continued to flash in his mind as he held his hands over his ears. _Captain!_

"I won't touch you if that's scaring you. It's me, Mitch. You're fine, Lucas. You're safe. You can open your eyes. Nothing is frightening to see out here. Look at me, Lucas!"

Lucas slowly opened his eyes and blinked at the bright lights. He felt his breathing racing and his heart pounding in his chest. He could see Mitch on his knees beside him, a concerned look on his face. _Slow your breathing, Lucas. Calm down. It's just a panic attack. Eric warned you these could happen. Count to ten. Concentrate on your breathing. In through your nose, out through your mouth._ In a sudden rush of adrenaline, Lucas jumped to his feet, running down the corridor as fast as his feet could carry him.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sheppard glanced at the wall chart that he and his team had created and made mental notes of how many hostages were left in the room and the approximate proximity of the gunmen. He then read over all his notes that were very precisely ordered alongside the timeline of events. His team had interviewed all the released hostages and had taken many notes from the information given to them. There were six well-armed gunmen who seemed to be Dosa's puppets. They had a body pileup in the middle of the room on display for all the hostages to see. It was a constant psychological reminder of Dosa's control. Hostages were spread out throughout the room. There were no windows in the room. _I need to get out more of those hostages._ The only outer access into that room was the back door, and Sheppard had no idea if Dosa knew about that door. It was now 10 hours into the hostage taking, and they'd only managed to get a handful out. The only thing that gave Sheppard hope was statistics. _The more time that passed without killing meant the terrorist was losing momentum. He's wearing down. He's tired. Keep him talking, Bridger._

Colonel Hitchcock pointed to the blueprints. "Tactical is going to attempt entry here." Sheppard looked at where the man pointed on the papers. "There appears to be a large ventilation system that leads directly above them."

"That will drop them in right on top of them!" Sheppard shook his head in frustration. It was going to be a bloodbath. If the tactical unit dropped down through the vents, it would give the gunmen plenty of time to open fire on the men entering the room and the hostages. "Dammit, there has to be a better way!"

Sheppard looked around the room at the personnel strategizing with him. Everyone single man and woman in the command room had a perplexed look on their faces. Dosa had obviously done his homework well when considering this operation. He couldn't have picked a better place to hold hostages. It felt like a losing battle with literally no way to get the hostages out without using the door they entered. All the possible escape routes would mean a huge loss of life. _Bridger, this has to be you. You have to talk him down. It's the only way people are going to get out alive._

"Our only hope is to get out as many hostages as we can before tactical gets itchy fingers. Okay people, listen up…" Just as Sheppard crossed the room to point at his chart on the wall, the gunshots rang out. Everyone in the room froze, and Sheppard felt the colour drain from his face. _How many more people just died?_ No one said a word as they stared at each other, everyone fearing the worse. Seconds later his vid-link rang and Sheppard all but dived for the communication device.

Sheppard willed himself to look calm and collected as he tapped the button to open the link. _Stay calm, Sam. Bridger needs a calm head on this side. If he sees you looking hopeless, it's going to impact him. Bridger needs to see confidence. Assurance._

"Everything okay in there, Bridger?" Bridger's face looked pale, and Sheppard could see he was putting on a brave façade.

"Good. Dosa was just showing me how many shots he can fire in a round. Everyone is safe. We have a woman in labour. We need some blankets and hot water brought in and food for everyone. Mr. Dosa wants to see that Singh has been released."

"Can I speak with him?" Sheppard made mental notes as Bridger stepped aside and Dosa appeared on the vid-link.

"Has Singh been released?"

"We're working on it, Mr. Dosa. May I ask your first name, sir? My name is Sam Sheppard." Sheppard held his breath. This was the first time the terrorist had engaged with him in conversation. Maybe he could take over and give Bridger a break. The captain looked visibly worn.

"What the hell is taking so long? How many people have to die before you people realise how serious I am about this?"

"We know you're serious, and we're doing what we can to help you." _Ask for him to release more hostages. Barter with him. "_ Bridger says you have a pregnant woman in there in labour. That must be very nerve-wracking for you. Do you think you could release her for us? I'm sure that would help calm everyone down." Sheppard watched Dosa cringe when a sharp scream was heard in the room. It was obvious the woman's labour was escalating. "A crying baby is going to make it hard for everyone."

Dosa sighed irritably. "Fine, I will let her go. Get me some food for these people!"

"I imagine it's getting more difficult to manage all those people. Do they need to use the washroom? It's been 10 hours, Dosa. As the time progresses, it's going to be harder to handle them all. Can you let some of them go? It will be easier on you if you have less to manage." _Careful, Sam, don't make them sound like a burden, or he'll just start shooting._

"Shut-up Sheppard or you're gonna have some more dead sheep on your hands! Get us food, and I'll free the woman and her husband. I'm getting sick of this stalling. I'm not an idiot!" With those final words, Dosa ended the link.

Sheppard felt the perspiration on his brow. He brushed his hand across his forehead while he stared at his team. He should have never gotten up this morning.


	8. Chapter 8

Tears of genuine thankfulness and relief shimmered in Katie's eyes as she walked out of the hospital. Her legs still felt wobbly but surgery had gone well, and Ben was going to be just fine. As much as she wanted to stay until Ben regained consciousness, she felt compelled to return to the conference centre. She needed to find out how things were progressing. Katie had contacted Ben's parents, and they were making plans to fly to Florida. Ben was going to need someone to care for him when he was able to leave the hospital. Katie brushed a few tears away as she remembered Helen Krieg's fearful voice on the phone. Ben was their only son, and the thought of nearly losing him had brought the woman to tears. They'd sounded so grateful that Katie was with Ben. Guilt pinched her that she was leaving him. She didn't want him to wake up alone, but she felt so nervous and unsettled about leaving Lucas alone, and she was so worried about the rest of the crew as well. No one had called her since she left, so she didn't even know if anyone else was hurt. She'd tried to watch the news briefly when Ben was in surgery but there was a media blackout. Katie knew that was to be expected but part of her wished she knew more. _I hope everyone is safe!_

Katie ran a hand through her hair and put her face up to feel the early morning sun. It looked like it had the makings of a gorgeous day. _I wish I was on shore leave, sitting on the beach watching Ben and the guys playing volleyball._ The sun felt so warm on her face. _Oh, Ben, why are you still monopolizing my thoughts? Why do I still care about you so much?_ It hadn't helped when she heard Helen's voice. The woman had always treated her like a daughter. She hadn't realised how much she missed the woman until she heard her soft voice.

Katie wandered over to the curb to wait for the cab she'd called, her mind overflowing with thoughts. Memories of her wedding day flashed to her mind. Ben had looked so handsome. She had been so nervous that she convinced her dad to bring Ben to see her before the wedding. Her mom had been beside herself insisting that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. _Maybe you were right, Mom._ Katie sighed as a warm smile crept to her face. She remembered Ben waltzing into the room with such a confident and brazen look on his face. The second Katie saw him, all her fears and doubts floated away. He'd given her a quick hug, told her she looked stunning and disappeared before her mother had a coronary. After that, Katie had felt so confident that Ben and she would live happily ever after. Katie put a hand to her face, choking back an involuntary sob. _Oh, Ben, I can't believe how close I came to losing you today._ She wiped away the tears as the image of Ben's ashen face came to her mind. She blinked her eyes quickly as she tried to clear the image away. She wasn't sure she'd ever felt so frightened. _I'm so confused, Ben. Why couldn't you just grow up?_ The vibration of her cell phone interrupted her reverie, and she fished into her pocket to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Katie-Kat." The soothing, familar sound of her father's voice brought a fresh crop of tears to her eyes. "How's Ben doing?" She struggled to find her voice as she allowed the tears to flow freely for several seconds.

"The doctor said he's going to be fine but it was close, Daddy." _Too close!_ "The bullet narrowly missed some major arteries. I thought…" Her voice caught in her throat. Her father knew she still had feelings for Ben. There was no need to explain her emotional state to him.

"It's okay, sweetie. Things like this can really wreak havoc with the emotions. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Katie inhaled deeply, forcing herself to calm down. "How are things progressing? The media blackout is thorough."

"I'm pleased to hear that. Nothing much has changed, I'm afraid. Sheppard's doing his best to spearhead things from his end, but it's not a typical situation. SWAT is getting itchy fingers."

"How's Captain Bridger making out?"

"He's holding up as well as can be expected."

"What about Lucas? He didn't look very good when I left. I'm really concerned about him." Katie heard a pause on the end of the phone, and she felt her pulse increase. "Daddy?"

"He took off, Katherine. We've looked everywhere for him and can't find him." Katie felt her blood chill within her. _Oh NO!_ "I'm waiting for a cab to pick me up at the hospital. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"You don't need to leave if you're needed, Kat. I just wanted to ask for some ideas on where he might go. You don't think he'd leave the grounds do you?"

"I don't know. I doubt it but, Daddy, it's complicated with Lucas. He's been through so much the past few months. I wish I could explain it, but I can't really go into detail because much of it is so tightly classified…"

"I understand, Katie-Kat." The tranquil sound of her father's voice seemed to soothe her on some kind of subliminal level that she couldn't even put her finger on.

"I'm coming as fast as I can. We have to find him, Daddy! There's no way he's coping well with all this." _I'm so sorry, Captain! I shouldn't have left Lucas alone._

"Mitch and I will keep searching, honey. Take your time." Katie blinked back more worried tears and bid her father farewell. Several minutes later, she was relieved to see her cab pull up. _Hang on, Lucas. Don't do anything stupid!_

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas leaned against the wall, holding his head in his hands. His heart was beating so loudly that he was positive it could be heard miles away. He lifted a shaky hand to his brow and wiped the perspiration away. _Why won't they listen to me? I can get them in that damned room!_ Lucas looked around the room again and reached up to punch in the code he figured out before. The sensor beeped softly, and Lucas pulled the door open. He slipped out the door, shutting it behind him. He blinked hard as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. It was early but the sun was already warm. He paused for a minute as he allowed himself to enjoy the warmth on his pale skin. Lifting a hand to his brow, he felt his eyes water as he scanned the outside building. Everything looked so much more complicated from behind. _Where is that Summit room located?_ Lucas closed his eyes and imagined the blueprints in his mind. He had purposely memorized the layout when he was in Sheppard's command room.

"If you're not gonna listen to me, I'll find the room myself." Lucas heard how determined his own voice sounded in his own ears. The shaky feeling had left him, and he was feeling more confident.

Sheppard had said that SWAT was getting itchy fingers. Lucas knew that meant they were getting tired of waiting. Negotiations took time. It was to keep peace and bring everyone out alive. Tactical just wanted to end the event and leave a strong message to others. The thing was that as much as maybe the general public didn't know, the government was willing to give terrorists as much as possible in order to save lives. The whole 'we don't cooperate with terrorists' idea was a brave front projected to avoid being targeted by every terrorist group who took it into their heads to hold hostages. The reality of the matter was, no one wanted to exchange lives for standing firm on political ideals. If it was at all possible, they would promise the terrorist just about anything he asked for in exchange for lives. Obviously, as soon as they overtook the hostage-taker, they revoked everything they ever said. All bets were off when it came to terrorism.

Searching each door, Lucas tried to form a picture in his mind of how the outside building matched the blueprints. As he headed around the structure, he stopped outside a large door and put his ear to it. _This has to be the right room._ A shrill scream was heard echoing from the door. _What the hell was going on in that room?_ Lucas took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm. He pulled his PAL out of his pocket and flipped it over to input a message to Captain Bridger. He wanted to let the man know he was close by. Maybe if he could sneak inside, he'd be able to get some of the hostages out the back. Lucas typed: DOOR. Before he could even drop his hand to his side, a reply flashed. It read: WHO. Lucas chewed his lip, preparing himself for the Captain to tell him to get lost. He typed: LUCAS. Immediately his PAL flashed the reply he expected. GO AWAY! _Sorry, Captain; no one else is listening to me._ Lucas typed: I CAN HELP. The reply came quickly: NO! OBEY! Lucas sighed knowing that the captain was just trying to protect him, but his annoyance pinched at him; he hated when he was treated like a kid. The captain didn't understand that he had an advantage here. It was very likely Dosa didn't even know the door was there. It made sense to Lucas that if Dosa did, he would have men guarding that exit point. Even the blueprints that Sheppard had didn't show the back entrances behind the stage. The manager had pointed them out. Lucas was betting that Sheppard didn't know they were and hadn't bothered to check behind the stage.

Lucas felt his PAL vibrating over and over again as persistent messages kept flashing telling him to back off, go away, obey and so-on. Lucas shut his eyes and took a deep breath. This time he was going to do what he thought was the right thing. Surely, if the captain or the commander were here, they would agree with his assessment of the situation. He needed to use his common sense and go with his gut regardless of what he was being told. The captain could not see what he did, and he had no way to explain it. He tried to tell Sheppard but his words had fallen on deaf ears. Lucas typed another message: SNEAK PEEPS BACK. Then he typed another: BREAK'N CODE LOCK. Lucas dropped the communication link back into his pocket as it started madly vibrating in his pocket. Ignoring the link, he set to work figuring out the code.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan groaned irritably as he waited for another response from Lucas on his communication link. _LUCAS WOLENCZAK!_ Nathan was extremely frustrated and, truth be known, genuinely frightened. _Don't do anything stupid, kid!_ He had no idea what to expect from Lucas. He trusted the kid's instincts, but he just couldn't be sure if the boy was coping well enough to have clarity. After several minutes he dropped his PAL back into his pocket and tried to rub the tension from his temples. He looked at Kristin who was washing her hands with water from the cups on the table. The look on her face was unmistakable. She was troubled.

"What's wrong, Kris?"

"I need some hot water and soap to wash my hands. I'm going to need to deliver this baby soon if this woman isn't released. I don't want her to get sick."

"What about the hand sanitizer?"

"I've nearly used up all my hand sanitizer. Miguel collected all he could but not many people had any with them. It's not exactly cold and flu season so people don't carry it. I'm saving what he found in case I need it, but I don't want to deliver a baby under such unsanitary conditions. The woman could end up with a streptococcal infection."

Nathan grimaced. "Puerperal fever?" Kristin heaved a weary sigh and shook her head. Nathan knew she was tired, and he could see she was working off pure adrenaline.

"We're about to have even worse problems shortly."

Kristin furrowed her brow as she sat down. "What do you mean?"

"Lucas is outside the door and is attempting to break the code…"

"Oh, Gawd, please tell me your kidding!" There was no mistaking the panicked look that flooded her features.

"I wish I was. He messaged me that he is outside the door behind the stage…"

Kristin's eyes widened. "There's doors back there?" Her voice was a tad louder than he would have liked. Nathan turned to see if Dosa and his men were watching. They appeared lost in their own private conversation with one man keeping a sharp eye on them.

Nathan put a finger to her lips. "Yes. I just don't know if Dosa knows or not. I'm assuming Sheppard and the tactical units have decided not to chance it. Lucas has gone off on his own vigil ante crusade. Damn that kid!"

"Oh, Nathan, what if they shoot…"

"Don't borrow trouble, Kris." He made his voice sound firm and confident. Almost as if in response, the woman let out a sharp scream, and Kristin jumped to her feet to attend to her. Nathan stood a comfortable distance away to allow the woman some privacy and dignity. He watched as Kristin checked her progress. A simple nod told him that the baby was on its way.

Nathan swallowed hard and began to make his way over to engage Dosa again. He would need to appeal to that part of him who was a husband and a father. _Stay calm, Nathan. Don't make the woman feel like a burden. He has a wife and children. Help him remember._

As Nathan approached the group, one of the gunmen raised his gun at him. The ominous look on the man's face sent shivers up and down Nathan's spine.

"What do you want? Get that woman to shut up, or I'll put her out her misery like a rabid dog!" Nathan bit his tongue to remain quiet. _Vermin. That's all you are. Rotten, stinkin vermin._ Nathan saw Dosa look up at him. The man looked worn…almost haunted.

"Is she close to delivering?" asked Dosa. Nathan nodded. "What's taking the food so long?" Nathan shrugged. He didn't know the answer.

"The doctor is worried to deliver the baby. She has no way of washing her hands. She concerned that the woman and baby might get a streptococcal infection."

Dosa frowned. "What's that?"

"A fatal infection that leads to septic shock." Nathan hesitated wondering how much information he should give the man. "Blood poisoning. Both of them could die." A flicker of concern crossed the man's face before he promptly dismissed it. Nathan didn't miss it. _Hot damn, you do have a heart. Appeal to his fatherhood._ "How many children do you have, Mr. Dosa?"

"Three."

"Who cares if that woman dies now or later?" piped up the gunman beside him.

Dosa's eyes darkened and he turned to the man. "I care." The look on Dosa's face shut the man up quickly. The man glared at him and stalked away across the room. Nathan saw him walk up to another hostage woman and pull her up by the hair. Nathan felt his heart rate increase as the gunman shoved her to her knees, yanking her head backwards and pushing the gun against her head. Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan saw Dosa furrow his brow and groan. To his surprise, Dosa strode across the room and pointed his weapon at the man.

"Antef, you are seriously pissing me off! Let her go!" he shouted. Nathan felt his jaw drop in surprise. He glanced around the room and noticed that every eye on the room was on Dosa. Even Kristin stopped what she was doing to look up.

"You and I both know how this situation is going to play out, Syed!"

"Let her go!" repeated Dosa. It was an unmistakable threat.

"You have gone soft, Syed! Ibrahim would be ashamed."

"Shut up! You have no idea the sacrifices I have made for this. My goddamn brother died for Ibrahim's cause! Don't you stand there and tell me I'm what I am and what I'm not." Dosa lifted his weapon purposefully. "I will have no problem blowing you away, Antef! Now let her GO!"

Nathan clenched his jaw and held his breath waiting to see how things would play out. Suddenly, the woman in labour screamed out in agony. It was a blood curdling scream that made Nathan jump involuntarily. Nathan turned to cast a glance at Kristin who shot him a pleading look. It was time. That baby was coming ready or not.

"It looks like we're going to have another guest joining us," said Nathan, casting a quick glance at Dosa and then walking over towards Kristin. As Nathan walked towards Kristin, a gunshot was heard behind him. He froze. _Oh dear Lord, please._ Nathan's felt himself shudder. Several shouts filled the air as Nathan spun on his feet to see what happened. Dosa stood still holding his gun unwaveringly. Nathan twisted his mouth in shock as he saw Dosa's own man dead on the floor, shot in the head. Blood pooled around his body. The woman Antef had been holding was still kneeling, covering her face and sobbing. It was all Nathan could do not to rush to her side and help her away from the area. _Breath, Nathan. Stay calm._ Dosa pointed his gun at the woman.

"Go back to your table!" There was no mistaking the order. Dosa leaned over and dragged Antef by the arm and added him to the pile in the centre of the room. Everyone in the room was silent as Dosa did the deed. Even the woman in labour could only be heard breathing heavily, baring her labour pains in silence as her husband put a firm hand over her mouth. Nathan made eye contact with Dosa as he crossed the room towards him.

"Help that woman! I'm not a monster, Bridger!" Nathan nodded quietly. He cast a glance at Dosa's men who all appeared shaken as well. Suddenly the game had changed for everyone. Dosa wasn't playing anyone's predictable game anymore. Now, even Dosa's own men didn't know what was going to happen. _Maybe there is hope. Maybe you do have a heart, Dosa._


	9. Chapter 9

Kristin's hands were shaking as she held the newborn baby in her arms. The baby girl was perfect. Kristin mentally gave her Apgar scores of 9 and after five minutes, 10. She was full-term, alert and quiet. Kristin did her best to wipe the vernix from the baby's face with a table cloth. She wrapped the baby securely in another table cloth Miguel had procured from a nearby table.

"Is it okay?" asked Nathan. His face was pale as he looked at her.

"She's perfect." Kristin turned the baby so that Nathan could see the newborn. The baby was wide awake and bright eyed. Kristin noticed a smile tugging at Nathan's mouth as he peered at the baby. The tiny infant seemed to be taking in everything as she looked around. Kristin felt her hands trembling as she pulled the baby closer to her. Her whole body began to follow suit as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Oh, Kris," said Nathan, brushing his hand against her cheek gently. "Here, let me take the baby." Kristin blinked back tears as Nathan took the baby from her arms and helped her sit down. Her eyes looked at the cloth covering the dead woman. Kristin put her head into her hands and choked back sobs. There was no reason in the world why the woman should have died. If she would have been in a hospital, surrounded by a team of doctors, she could have been saved. Women rarely died in childbirth anymore.

"I tried to save her…" Kristin could feel her whole body trembling. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she turned to see Miguel and Tim standing behind her. Miguel's hand was warm and his expression compassionate. "I couldn't stop the hemorrhaging…she…" Kristin wrung her hands in despair. She felt the desperate need to explain herself.

Nathan snuggled the baby closer. "Look at this precious life you did save, Kristin. None of this is your fault!" Kristin covered her mouth as sobs wracked her body. She hardly noticed when Nathan sat down beside her and wrapped his free arm around her in comfort.

"She shouldn't have died, Nathan! It's all so senseless."

"It is, I agree. Kristin, listen to me, I know you feel tired and overwhelmed right now but the woman's death was not your fault! You did everything you could under the circumstances. Look at this little girl! She's so full of life! She has her whole life ahead of her, thanks to you!" Kristin looked at the baby as Nathan placed her back into her arms. The tiny little thing squirmed and made a face but remained quiet. Kristin wiped tears from her cheeks and sniffled.

"May I hold her?" Kristin looked up startled to see the baby's father standing in front of her. In her own grief, she had forgotten he was there. His face was white washed with grief and shock. Tears streaked his cheeks and the despair and anguish was radiating from his face as he hopelessly realised his wife was dead. Kristin shuddered involuntarily as she thought about how the man must be feeling.

"Of course!" Kristin rose to her feet and offered the baby to the man's trembling arms. "She's perfect…" Her voice caught in her throat as she handed the bundle over. She watched the man cuddle the baby to his chest with tears flooding his eyes and cascading down his cheeks. Kristin leaned into Nathan who had wrapped his arms around her. She tried to stop herself from shaking but was finding it very difficult. Her eyes scanned the room to see the terrorist cowering in the furthest corner of the room, along with his mercenaries. _Scum! You might as well have pulled the trigger and killed this woman. You could have let her out to the hands of the paramedics._ Kristin covered her mouth again as more sobs wracked her body. She turned to the father holding his infant daughter with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry; I did everything I could to stop the bleeding…"

The man looked up from the newborn, a surprised look on his face. "Are you kidding me? I don't blame you, Doctor. It's not your fault…" The man choked back more tears as he was overcome with emotion. "I don't blame you." Kristin watched as the man all but collapsed in the chair behind him. He sobbed openly into the baby in his arms. Kristin stood by feeling helpless. After several minutes, he looked up. "May I ask your name?"

"My name?" Kristin was puzzled.

"Yes, your given name."

"Kristin."

The man looked at the little newborn in his arms. Tears dripped from his face onto the baby. "Welcome to the world, Kristin."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan hardly had a chance to blink before Kristin collapsed in his arms. His reflexes worked quicker than his brain as he collected her in his arms and eased her to the floor. Her pale face was shimmering with freshly fallen tears. Nathan knew she was exhausted from the tense hours of helping the woman give birth. Things had grown very concerning when the woman started hemorrhaging shortly after delivering the placenta. It was like time stopped as Kristin did everything she could to stop the bleeding. Nathan had clamped his hand over her mouth when she started to scream at Dosa to let the paramedics in the room. The dangerous look on the man's face made Nathan's blood run cold. For a few moments, Nathan wasn't sure if the terrorist was going to open fire on Kristin and the birthing woman. Dosa's movements and actions had become even more unpredictable.

Nathan brushed Kristin's hair from her eyes as she lay on the floor. _You're one hell of a strong woman, Dr. Westphalen. You did great!_

 _"_ What's wrong?" asked the baby's father, alarm on his face. Nathan offered the man a weak smile, trying to ease his concerns. The man had gone through hell watching his wife bleed to death before his very eyes.

"She's fine, Mr. Anders. You concentrate on taking care of that precious little bundle you have. Kristin just needs some rest." Nathan saw the man looked skeptically at him but turn his attention to the small infant in his arms once more. Nathan cast a look at Jonathan. Jonathan seemed to understand, and he helped the man and the baby to a quiet area of the room.

"Get me another table cloth, Miguel." Nathan watched as Miguel walked to a table close by and removed the cloth.

"Is she okay, Cap?"

Nathan nodded as he covered her. He didn't know what to say so he remained quiet. She was alive. They were all still alive. But okay? No. None of them were okay.

Nathan felt his communication device vibrate in his pocket. He felt his heart skip a beat when he remembered Lucas. _Oh, kiddo, not now._ He reached into his pocket and saw the words: I'M INSIDE. Nathan felt his hands tremble as he stared at the screen. Lucas must have managed to sneak inside unheard during the commotion of the woman giving birth. She had been screaming pretty loudly at one point. Nathan wasn't sure anyone could concentrate on anything in those moments except the woman's piercing screams. Balancing on one knee, he flipped the unit over and typed: BE CAREFUL. There was no point now arguing with the kid to leave. If he was inside, Nathan didn't want the teenager drawing any attention to it. Somehow, he needed to get Lucas out. _Kiddo, when this is over, I'm gonna…_ Nathan stopped his thoughts from going any further. Getting upset and issuing idol threats, even in his head, wasn't going to make things any better.

Nathan rose to his feet. "Stay with her, Tim." He saw Tim nod and kneel to her side.

Nathan nodded towards Jonathan and Miguel who followed him towards another empty table to sit down. Nathan stole a glimpse at Dosa who was talking quietly to his men. Glancing at his watch, Nathan made a mental note of the time. _Why are you stalling so much, Sheppard? You must have heard the shots earlier and the woman screaming? Where is that food?_

"Lucas is inside."

Jonathan's jaw dropped. "How? Why?"

"There's a door behind the stage. I'm guessing that Dosa didn't get the updated blueprints on this building after they renovated."

"Damn," said Miguel, the colour drained from his face.

"I'm going to talk to Dosa again. Commander, I want you to get that kid out. I don't care if you have to knock him out to do it. Get him out and get to Sheppard. Tell him everything you know about what's going on. Talk to the tactical unit and let them know what's going on. Tell them that Dosa is unpredictable, and he's killing his own men."

Jonathan nodded. "I'll get him out, Captain." Nathan felt his body relax a little. He knew that his XO would do his best to get Lucas out safe. Lucas and Jonathan had a bond from another terrorist attack. Nathan knew that Lucas trusted Jonathan. _I know you're frightened, kiddo. Please don't do anything stupid._

Nathan stood and glanced around the room. Dosa still had too much collateral and control in the room. There had to be a way to quickly cut the hostages down. Ladies had been moaning for hours now about using the washroom. Dosa hadn't allowed a single hostage to leave the room. It had been over 12 hours, and it was obvious people were getting more than a little uncomfortable. Something would have to be done or the room would become utter chaos in more ways than one. Nathan had noticed several of the men had chosen to relieve themselves in the pitchers from the table. Nathan recognised that it wasn't that simple for the ladies. Things were getting desperate on more than one level. People were frightened, hungry, tired and anxious. That was not going to get any better. Nathan wasn't even sure how long he could maintain control of the men in the room either. He was worried that in their fright and panic, someone or several were going to become vigilantes. Taking a deep breath, Nathan made his way across the room once again towards Dosa. Just as he was to approach the man, the vid-link in the middle of the room came to life. Nathan switched his course and headed to the communication device. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dosa rise to his feet to join him.

"Tell me the food is here!" Bridger heard his clipped, terse voice bellow at Sheppard when he appeared on screen.

"Tell Dosa, he gets the food when we get something in return." Nathan looked at Dosa knowing he heard the conditions. _Don't be too hardnosed, Sheppard. Tread carefully._ Nathan scratched his nose slowly. _Let me handle this. You have no idea what's going on in this room. Back off, Sheppard._ Nathan hoped Sheppard would understand what he was trying so subtly to communicate.

"Get that food in here now." Dosa brought his weapon up towards Bridger. Nathan nodded wearily. Dosa looked as exhausted as the rest of the hostages in the room. Nathan was beginning to see that it wasn't easy on him either. Something had changed in the man.

"Send in the food."

"Not without something in return." Sheppard's voice was adamant.

Nathan turned to Dosa. "He means it, Mr. Dosa. I've worked with Sheppard before. He won't back down." _I'll play your game for now, Sheppard, but you better back down if it fails._

"He can have the baby."

Nathan echoed the words and saw Sheppard shake his head.

"I want all the women in that room released including the baby, Bridger. In exchange, I'll send in food and a portable toilet." _You're good, Sheppard._

Nathan heard Dosa groan. The man's face started to take on an ominous look which made Nathan feel uncertain. Nathan tried to read the look and figure out what it meant. _Show him you can be trusted. Make him believe you are on his side. Take sides against Sheppard._ Thoughts flooded Nathan's mind as he remembered something.

"Mr. Dosa is doing his best to handle everything, Sheppard. Stop forestalling him and get us the goddamned food!" Nathan could see the shocked expression on Sheppard's face. He knew that Sheppard was going to be second-guessing his usefulness. However, getting Dosa to trust him beyond a shadow of a doubt was more important at the moment.

"We're sending in the food now."

"Tell Lucas that to set the stage for me. I want him inside when I get home." Nathan looked directly into Sheppard's eyes before ending the transmission. _I hope you understand my message, Sheppard! Why was Lucas being left alone, for Pete's sake? Where is Commander Hitchcock?_

"Who's Lucas?" Nathan licked his lips as he turned to face Dosa. Dosa had his gun trained on Bridger, looking skeptically at him.

"My son."

"You said your son was dead."

"He's my youngest son. He just turned 15."

Dosa lowered his gun again. "My son is almost 15."

"What's his name?" _A commonality!_

"Mikal."

Nathan nodded. He looked at Dosa quietly, searching his head for ways to continue the conversation.

"We had an argument today before the conference. Lucas didn't want to come, and I forced him." Nathan's voice caught in his throat. _Make it believable, Nathan._

"Mikal can be hard-headed at times too."

"I should have listened to him instead of getting angry." Nathan dropped his gaze, allowing himself to look forlorn. To his surprise he felt Dosa put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Parenting isn't easy, Bridger, and kids don't always understand why we do what we do." _He's giving me parenting advice!_

"A few months ago, he was so angry at me that he started throwing wood from our woodpile at the basement windows." Nathan looked up to see an amused smile creep across Dosa's face.

"What did you do?"

"I wanted to kick his butt."

Dosa laughed. _This is the first time since coming in here that I have made a connection with this man!_

"If Mikal had done that, I would have kicked his butt!"

"I probably should have but I'm a bit of a soft touch, Mr. Dosa."

"So what did you do?"

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck, all the while keeping an eye of the other hostages in the room, as well as Kristin and the other gunmen. The conversation felt surreal.

"I didn't feel like I could do much. He was pissed off at me for so many things. So I walked away." Nathan turned to look at Dosa who was staring at him in disbelief.

"You walked away?"

"Yes."

"So what happened after that?" asked Dosa.

"He tossed more wood through the windows and followed me."

Nathan could see the perplexed look on Dosa's face. The man seemed to be enjoying the conversation somewhat, but at the same time seemed agitated by it as well. Nathan walked towards the front doors so he could be ready when Sheppard sent the food in. From the corner of his eye, he could see Dosa following him.

"What did you do?"

"I went to my room to give myself some space. I didn't want to do anything stupid in my anger."

Dosa frowned. "Kids need to see your anger sometimes, Bridger. You can't let your kids run over you. If Mikal had dishonoured me like that I would have tanned his backside."

Nathan nodded. "One part of me wanted to take a stick to him. But it wouldn't have solved anything." Nathan leaned against the wall. He pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. He never expected to be justifying how he chose to parent to a terrorist.

"You're his father, Bridger. He needs to learn to honour and obey you!"

Nathan felt his temper flare. _This is surreal. I'm being lectured on how to parent by a terrorist, for Pete's sake._

"It's complicated with my son, Mr. Dosa. He's a sensitive kid, and he had reasons to be angry.

"You're making excuses for his behaviour. You sound like my wife!' Nathan didn't miss the accusation in the man's voice. _I don't believe this._

"I did my best under the circumstances. He calmed down eventually and we had a good talk. We came to an understanding."

Dosa shook his head, chuckling. "You're a fool, Bridger. You let your boy outwit you. You didn't come to any understanding! You taught your son it was okay to disobey, and you let him away with it." Nathan frowned at the man's words as he saw a look of scorn on his face. "You're a captain of a military vessel, are you not?"

"I am."

"You owe your son better than that."

Rustling and other sounds from outside the door alerted them to the fact that food was being set outside the door. A sudden knocking at the door let Nathan know that the people on the outside were ready for an exchange. Nathan looked at Dosa. _Use this commonality, Bridger. This is the first time you have made a true connection with the man._

"Maybe you're right, Mr. Dosa. Perhaps I've been too soft on him." Nathan could see that the man looked pleased on some level. A smile settled on the man's face.

"COME IN!" Dosa nodded at his men and they all trained their guns on hostages as the door carefully opened to reveal the outside hall.

Outside the door, Nathan saw huge boxes of food. The smell of coffee lingered in the air making his mouth water. _That smells so damned good! Smart move, Sheppard._ He watched as Sheppard stepped into the doorway wearing a bulletproof vest.

"We have hot coffee, food and a portable toilet. Give me the baby and all the women." It was a brave move on Sheppard's part, but Nathan knew the man was betting on Dosa's weakness. Nathan felt like he would promise anything for a hot cup of coffee about now. He turned to look at Dosa who had his gun pointed at him. A look of utter frustration was on the man's face. Nathan knew that Dosa was weighing his options. Holding this many hostages wasn't easy. So far, everyone had behaved but that wasn't going to last forever. People were getting worn out and tired.

"Less people will make it easier, Mr. Dosa. What do you say?"

Nathan stared at the man as he rubbed a hand over his face. He watched as the man glanced round the room, seeming to make calculations in his head.

"The coffee is hot!" urged Sheppard. Nathan inwardly groaned when he saw Sheppard take a drink of his coffee with a smug look on his face. He then picked up a donut and took a huge bite. _You are a cheeky man, Sheppard._ Nathan felt his own mouth watering from the smell of the coffee and food. He pretty much knew that Dosa would be feeling the same way.

"Fine, the baby and the women may leave." Dosa turned to Nathan. "The doctor stays!" Dosa raised his gun into the air threateningly. He pulled the trigger several time and turned his attention to Sheppard.

"Don't ask for another hostage release! And the next time I see your face, Sheppard, I want it to be telling me that Ibrahim has been released!" Nathan held his breath as he watched Dosa walk across the room and grab a woman from the table. _What is he going to do?_ As Nathan felt his heart rate increasing, he saw Dosa drag the woman to the doorway.

"Everything you get from me is going to cost you, Sheppard." With those final words, Dosa put the gun to the woman's head and pulled the trigger.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N-Thanks for all the reviews and comments of encouragement. I'm enjoying writing this story. Researching hostage negotiations is intriguing...and it feels like Bridger and the gang are taking over this story. :)**_

 _ **Keep the reviews coming. They make me smile :)**_

Lucas huddled in the corner and wrapped himself tightly into a ball. So many gunshots. So much screaming. _Who else was shot?_ He tried to make himself as small as possible. He thought about his blue jeans and a dark shirt; surely, no one would see him back here unless he made his presence known. _Stay calm. I need to stay calm; otherwise I won't be any good to the captain, and he needs me to help him get hostages out._ Lucas lifted his chin and peered into the darkness. He strained his ears to catch some of the conversation, but all he could hear was muffled voices.

"Lucas?" a voice whispered loudly from the darkness. "Are you there? It's me, Commander Ford." _Commander! I'm here!_ Lucas bit his lip. He felt so frightened that he didn't want to move or say anything. What if the terrorist heard him? He didn't want to chance getting caught. Lucas peered into the darkness, straining his eyes to look for movement or shadows.

"Lucas, answer me quietly. Dosa won't hear you. He's busy talking to Bridger and Sheppard." Lucas could hear the tranquility in the commander's voice. _How does he stay so calm? He's always so damned composed._

"C-commander." Lucas' voice was so low that he wasn't sure that the commander would hear it, but he dared not speak any louder. He tensed up and hid his face in his knees when he heard movement. He could feel his pulse thumping in his neck. A soft shuffling sound came towards him.

"Lucas, where are you? I can't see you."

Lucas trembled in the darkness. He forced himself to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth. He could hear his therapist, Eric's, voice in his head reminding him how to calm down and focus. He cupped a hand over his mouth when he felt the commander's shoe hit his foot. He reached out with his other hand and grasped the man's pants in his fist. In seconds, he saw the commander's face in front of his.

"You ok?"

Lucas nodded in the darkness. "Yah. Is Captain Bridger?" He felt Jonathan's warm hands on both his shoulders.

"He's fine. Everyone is fine for now. Damn it, Lucas! What were you thinking sneaking in here?" Lucas chewed the inside of his lip as the commander shook him firmly while scolding him.

"S-Sheppard wouldn't listen to me about the back doors. I-I told him they were there, and I could get him in but he ignored me. He thinks I'm some dumb kid…" Lucas could hear the commander sigh in the darkness. "Look, you can sneak some hostages back here, and we can get them out."

"Lucas, this isn't some game on the internex. Dosa is killing people! He's unpredictable, and Bridger is doing his damnedest to keep things together. Sneaking in here has only complicated matters! Don't you see that?"

Lucas pushed the commander away and rose to his feet. "I know it's not a game, Commander!" Lucas lowered his voice realising his words came out louder than he expected. "If you can get back here undetected, you can bring other people back with you. We can get them out!"

Jonathan shook his head. "NO! Look, Bridger wants me to get you out of here. Can you open that door without setting off an alarm?" Lucas frowned. He felt his heart rate increasing when he realised that the commander wasn't listening to him.

"Commander, remember when Schraeder commandeered SeaQuest? I was so scared that I hid with my eyes closed. I'm not hiding under the floor boards like I did then. I'm still scared but I can help! I'm taking your advice."

"My advice?"

"Yes. You said I should make the fear work for me. Remember? Well, I'm not hiding this time, Commander, and I'm using my fear to help. You said you weren't worried about me letting you down. Are you now?"

"Lucas, for crying out loud, you were being held hostage at the time! This time you put yourself in harm's way by choice. You should have stayed outside where you were safe!"

"The captain needs my help!" Lucas felt his frustration level increase as he tried to convince the commander to listen to him. He kept talking and trying to explain himself until Commander Ford surprised him by shoving him into the wall roughly.

"That's it, Lucas. Enough! Shut your mouth and listen to me, alright?"

Lucas' eyes grew wide and began to tremble as he looked at the commander. The man's voice was fierce and stern. It wasn't very often that the commander spoke like that, but Lucas knew he meant business.

"I want you to open that door again. Once it's open, the two of us are going to get out of here. Do you understand?"

Lucas swallowed hard and shoved the commander away from him as hard as he could.

"You're going to just leave Captain Bridger, and the rest of the crew behind?" Lucas stared at the commander in disbelief. "Dosa could kill them, Commander! Don't you get that? Don't you care?"

Jonathan relaxed his features. "Of course, I care, Lucas. I don't expect you to understand. I know this is difficult and you're scared. Captain Bridger gave me an order, and I have to follow that order." _You might have to follow it, Commander, but I don't._

"Alright," conceded Lucas. "I'll open the door."

Lucas found his way in the darkness to the security box on the wall. He fished out his PAL and shone the light on the box so he could see to input the codes. The inner code would be the same as the outside code. From the corner of his eye, he could just barely make out the commander's form in the darkness. Several minutes went by until he found the right sequence of numbers and the door softly bleeped. Shoving the door open as quietly as possible, Lucas gestured to Jonathan to go first out the door. Both of them blinked their eyes as the brightness of the sun partially peeped into the room.

"Good job, Lucas. Now take me to Sheppard."

Lucas shook his head. "I'm sorry, Commander." With one quick, fluid movement, Lucas pulled the door shut in the commander's face, locking him outside the room. Darkness enveloped the room once more. _Captain Bridger needs my help, Commander. Now you can go help Sheppard._

Lucas reached for his PAL and typed: COM. FORD. FREE. Lucas leaned against the wall, listening to his own heart beat quickly in his chest. Within a few seconds, his PAL vibrated in his hand. It read: GOOD. STAY SAFE.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sheppard watched as the paramedics carried out the dead woman. Dosa had ordered his men to carry the woman outside the door and drop her there like unwanted baggage. He felt his stomach churn as he clenched his fists. _Damn you, Dosa. We gave you food, for crying out loud. You didn't need to take her life._ It felt like time was standing still as boxes of food were being dragged into the room by the female hostages. Sheppard made eye contact with Bridger, who stood stock still with a gun trained on him.

"Get that baby!" ordered Dosa from inside the room.

Sheppard stood in the doorway, feeling helpless as he watched one of the gunman yank the infant from her father's arms.

"No, please! Leave her alone!" shouted the man, a look of desperation in his eyes. Sheppard watched as one of the SeaQuest crew quickly went to the man's side.

"Let her go, Mr. Anders. She'll be safe! The paramedics will take good care of her." The baby's father reluctantly conceded, looking defeated. Sheppard watched as the man dropped his arms to his side and walked towards a covered body. _Must be the baby's mother. That poor man._ The gunman carried the baby roughly towards him. Sheppard held his breath. It looked like the man would drop the infant as he haphazardly carried it across the room.

"Hurry up and get that food in here, ladies!" Dosa's voice was commanding and portentous. Sheppard saw him cast a glance at the gunman carrying the baby so recklessly under one arm. Dosa scowled and made a move towards his own man. Sheppard gasped when he saw Dosa reach for the baby just as it slipped from the other man's arms. _Oh, my gawd!_ _That was too damned close._ Sheppard clenched his jaw tightly and saw Bridger wince involuntarily. Many others in the room heaved a sigh of relief when the infant was safe in Dosa's arms. _Safe in a terrorist's arms. Talk about an oxymoron. What a joke!_

"You're a bastard, Tarek!" said Dosa. There was a bitter tone in his voice as he walked towards Sheppard.

"Who the hell cares about that kid? Gawdamnit, Dosa. All they're doing is stalling you! Can't you see that? Be the leader Ibrahim believes you to be!" scolded the man, Tarek, in return. His voice was full of anger and disgust. _Your men are losing faith in you, Dosa._

Sheppard swallowed hard as Dosa grew closer to him. Dosa stopped and stared at Sheppard. He held out the baby out to him with an unwavering glare. Sheppard reached out and took the baby in silence. The baby began to squirm and cry. Sheppard drew the infant in close to his chest and rocked it on instinct. Dosa continued to stare him down. Before Sheppard could open his mouth to utter another word, Dosa spun on his heel and opened fire on Tarek. Sheppard closed his eyes briefly to block out the scene, expecting the worst. _This man is freakin' psychotic. He can kill in cold-blood without batting an eyelash._ When he opened his eyes, he was surprised that the gunman was still alive, groaning and clutching his shoulder in agony.

"You son of a bitch! You shot me!" screamed the man.

"Shut the hell up, Tarek! Don't challenge me again, or I'll blow your friggen head off!"

Dosa turned to face Sheppard again. "Get me some first aid supplies and the kid's father can go free!" Sheppard hugged the baby as close to his chest as he was able without smothering it and slowly walked out the door. From the corner of his eye, he could see Bridger's face grimace as he stared at the injured gunman writhing in agony of the floor. Blood seeped from the man's injured shoulder as he screamed obscenities at Dosa. The other gunmen in the room had unmistakably pale, worried expressions on their faces which didn't fall on blind eyes. The chain of command was crumbling, and Sheppard was drinking in the scene.

Sheppard handed the baby off to the first set of hands who reached him. "Get some first aid supplies in there NOW!" he demanded. "Get that portable toilet in there!" Sheppard felt his hands shaking as he plunged them into his pockets. He didn't want to admit he was shaken but he was. He'd been a hostage negotiator for a long time, but it never got any easier, especially when he was face to face with the hostage-taker. Seeing how vulnerable the hostages were and how much power the hostage-taker exuded shook him to his very core.

Sheppard rubbed the tension from the back of his neck and walked towards the entrance again. He did a quick mental count as women began to file from the room. Police officers grabbed the women as they streamed through the doorway. The women were whimpering and crying. _Fifty-eight. Sixty-two._ Sheppard closed his eyes briefly as he heaved a heavy sigh of relief. If his calculations were correct, seventy-five hostages had been released. That was a HUGE relief. _Come on, Bridger. Talk him down. Don't give in on me now._

"We've got your medical supplies, Dosa. Why don't you let the doctor go as well?" Sheppard could see SeaQuest's chief medical officer lying on the floor near the stage. She appeared to be unconscious or, perhaps, injured.

Dosa walked towards the father of the baby and grabbed him roughly by the arm. The man rose to his feet weakly, having been staring at his dead wife.

"Go to your child! Teach her what happened today. Tell her we did this so she could live in peace and not under the totalitarianism of the UEO!" Sheppard watched the man nod silently, cast one last forlorn look at his wife's body and walked stoically towards him. Sheppard held his breath as the man strode across the room. When the man reached the door, he stopped briefly and cast one last look in his wife's direction.

"I hope they blow your friggen head off," said the man loudly and walked out of the room. Sheppard cringed and stared at Bridger once more. _Don't drink the coffee, Bridger. I pray the intel my people got on you was right on the money. Good luck, man._

Dosa sneered. "The next time I see your face, Sheppard, it better be showing me Abdul's release." He raised his weapon into the air and fired a round of shots again. "If not, I'm afraid my demonstrations will resume. I will kill every hostage in this room one by one. Bridger, shut the door!"

Sheppard stood in the doorway, memorising the faces of every man he could as the door slammed shut in his face. _Tactical needs to find a way to take him out._

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Katie all but ran into the building when she heard the gun shots from outside the conference centre. Once inside, she was surprised to see so many people milling around the hallways. _Is it over? Did they apprehend the terrorist?_ Katie felt her hopes rise within her as she pushed passed officers, and other people cluttering the hallway. She kept burrowing through the crowd of people until she ran smack into Sheppard who was standing talking to one of his personnel. Katie stepped in front of the other man, making no apologies for doing so.

"Dosa?" Her face fell and her hopes faded when Sheppard shook his head.

"He released some hostages but he still is in control of the room."

Katie sucked in her lip and felt her stomach quiver. "None of the crew?" Sheppard shook his head, a stark expression on his face.

"Katie!" a voice called out from behind her. Katie swung on her heel and turned to see Jonathan rush up to her. Without thinking and with relief, Katie embraced him. Immediately her face reddened and she pulled away apologetically. She noticed that Sheppard was equally shocked by Jonathan's appearance.

"What the hell? Where did you come from, Commander?" said Sheppard, not hiding the shock on his face.

"Jonathan, how did you get out?" echoed Katie.

"Lucas." Jonathan took a deep breath. "He broke the code and sneaked into the room through the back door." _Oh, my gawd, no! Lucas, I told you not to do anything stupid._

Sheppard cursed loudly. "HE WHAT? Where is that damned kid?"

"He slammed the door in my face once I stepped outside." Jonathan looked at the floor perplexed. "He's still in the room." Katie felt the colour drain from her face. _Lucas is inside with the terrorists. Oh Lucas, why did you do such a foolish thing?_

"That must have been the cryptic message Bridger was giving me. He mumbled something about a stage and Lucas being inside. I didn't know what he was getting at," said Sheppard, slamming an angry fist against the wall. "Damn that kid!"

"Katherine!" Katie turned to see her father approaching them, with Mitch Brady close behind. Katie felt her anger flash when she saw Mitch. He'd promised her that he'd watch out for the kid. She bit her lip from saying anything. _I trusted you!_

p"Meeting in the command room in ten minutes, people. I need some air!" With those loud, commanding final words, Sheppard stalked away. Bitter frustration lingered in the air. Katie could tell Sheppard was ticked and probably needed some space before he lost his cool. Lucas being in that room was more than just a simple complication. It could mean the difference between life and death for every hostage in that room. As much as Lucas wanted to help, he might have sentenced everyone to death.

Trying to bite her tongue, Katie took a deep breath and exhaled sharply glaring at Mitch. She stood glowering at him as she listened to Jonathan and her father talk about how things were progressing in the room. Finally she could bear it no longer.

"You said you were going to keep an eye on him! I trusted you, Brady! How could you let him just take off on his own?"

Mitch's eye's widened in shock at her accusation. "I-I'm sorry, Commander."

"You're sorry? He's gonna get everyone killed in there! This is all your fault!"

Katie heard her father gasp. "Katherine, this isn't Mitch's fault! Lucas took off. He's not exactly a small child. He has a mind and will of his own."

"Dad, you don't know what Lucas has been through. He's not himself!"

"Exactly! And Mitch is not his keeper, and you can't expect him to know how to deal with a teenage boy with PTSD. The man has known the boy for exactly two minutes, for Pete's sake."

Katie blinked back tears. "He's just a kid, Dad. And he's scared!" Katie watched as her father turned to her with a stern look on his face. It reminded her of the days when she was a teenager herself and she'd disobeyed him. He wasn't a man to be trifled with. "He promised to keep an eye on him!" Katie felt the need to explain herself further but then then closed her mouth.

Mitch put up his hands in surrender. "You're right, I did. I'm sorry. He took me off guard, Commander. I didn't expect him to take off like that."

Colonel Hitchcock clapped a hand on Mitch's shoulder. "This isn't anyone's fault." Katie saw her father cast her a piercing look. _I get it, daddy. I'll apologise._

"I'm sorry, Mitch. My father is right. This isn't your fault." Mitch looked at her with sincere concern. As much as Katie had blamed him, it was obvious he was blaming himself as well. Katie felt guilt pierce her. It really wasn't his fault. Her father was right. If it was anyone's fault, it was hers. She shouldn't have left him alone knowing how frightened he was.

"I have to agree that Lucas isn't himself _,_ " said Jonathan. "He's showing classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. His logical reasoning is impaired."

Katie heaved a weary sigh, anguish written all over her face. _If anything happens to Lucas, it's going to be my fault for leaving him behind._

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

A half hour later, Sheppard stood in the command room giving a run down on all they knew. Jonathan had given them a detailed grasp of how things were progressing in the Summit room. While Jonathan finished up, Sheppard had made a mental note of all the people in attendance. Colonel Hitchcock, Commanders' Ford and Hitchcock, Mitch Brady— Sheppard still didn't understand why the man was involved at all except as Lucas' babysitter—and several of his key personnel who were providing him with intel on the hostage-taker, the gunmen and Bridger.

Sheppard glanced at his watch. "Things are going to start to get very uncomfortable for Dosa in there. The hostages are going to start to get sick very quickly."

Jonathan's eyes widened. "You poisoned the food?"

Sheppard nodded. "The coffee and donuts have all been drugged."

"How can you expect Bridger to continue wise negotiations if he's sick?" asked Jonathan, a worried expression flooding his face.

"If my intel is correct, Bridger won't touch any of it."

The Colonel frowned. "How so?"

"The coffee is instant decaffeinated and the donuts are chocolate," surmised Katie. Sheppard looked up to see Katie giving Jonathan a pointed look.

"Was my intel correct?"

Katie nodded. "The captain can't stand instant decaffeinated coffee."

"And he hates chocolate," finished Jonathan, a hopeful look on his face.

"And you think considering he's hungry and tired that he won't drink and eat the stuff anyways?" asked Mitch quietly from the corner of the room.

Jonathan stood up and paced the room. "Bridger has been on tours of duty for months without touching coffee just because it was decaffeinated. He won't touch it if he has a choice of other things to drink."

Sheppard chewed on his pen. "We sent in fruit juice and fresh fruit. If he doesn't like those items, he has other choices." He paused and looked intently at both commanders. If anyone knew Bridger, these two did. "Bets on him being drugged?"

Katie ran a hand through her hair. "He won't be." Sheppard saw her glance at Jonathan who nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay, good! Then my money is still on Bridger to keep negotiations firmly progressing," said Sheppard. _I won't mention that I'm concerned about his decisions once that kid is discovered. Will Bridger be able to keep his head in the game then? My gut says no._

Sheppard picked up a pointer stick from the table and pointed at the blueprints on the wall. He looked at the colonel who eyed him carefully. The next bit of news he had to share wasn't going to go over well with the commanders but it had to be said. Tactical had finished waiting. Things were going to progress quickly from here on in. _And that stupid teenager just made things ten times more dangerous for everyone. We got the baby out. We got the women out. We were leveling the playing field and now that idiotic, foolish kid gave Dosa more ammunition. And compromised Bridger at the same time!_


	11. Chapter 11

Nathan grimaced when he sniffed the coffee. _Instant!_ He could smell the vile stuff from a mile away. His brain and body was craving coffee so badly that it was tricking him into believing it was good coffee. It wasn't. After so many years living on the island alone after his wife died and drinking instant coffee, he just couldn't stomach the liquid anymore. Nathan forced himself to take a small sip. Instantly, he spit it back into the cup. To add insult to injury, it was decaffeinated. _Great, I'm being held hostage, haven't slept much and you send me instant, decaffeinated coffee? Sheppard, you are a jerk!_ Nathan's mouth continued to water at the thought of coffee, but he couldn't bear to make himself drink it. He groaned as he watched others in the room greedily indulge in the hot liquid. _Even under these circumstances, I still can't make myself drink that swill._ He peered into the boxes dreaming of caffeine, and freshly brewed coffee. Disappointment creased his face as he reached for a juice box. _At least I'll be healthy when they bury me._

"It's your lucky day, Cap," said Miguel, biting into a chocolate-dipped donut. "They sent your favourite: coffee and donuts." Nathan could see the light-hearted humor on the man's face. Nathan knew that the crew often poked fun at him for his pickiness. Some of their favourite pranks onboard were to switch Nathan's coffee with instant. Nathan had started sniffing his coffee and taking small sips before taking a larger gulp, especially if he left his mug unattended on the bridge. One time, Shan and Miguel had mixed his coffee half instant, half brewed and then mixed chocolate sauce in it. Nathan grimaced at the memory. He hated chocolate about as much as he hated instant coffee. He had felt like drinking a mouthful of water out of the moon pool just to wash the taste out of his mouth.

Reaching into the box, he pulled out a piece of fruit. "Bring some food to Kristin, wise guy." He saw Miguel smirk. " How's she holding up?"

Miguel grabbed fruit juice and a muffin from the box. "She's awake now. She wants to talk to you, Captain."

"Tell her to hold tight. I'm going to talk with Dosa more." Nathan pushed the straw through the hole in the juice box and noticed that Miguel was scanning the room with a puzzled look on his face.

"Cap, have you seen Ford?"

Nathan put a finger to his lips and spoke very softly. "He got out."

Miguel's eyes widened. "How?"

"Lucas managed to get in the back door. I don't think Dosa knows it's there. Jonathan got him out."

"There's a door? Where?"

"Behind that stage curtain. Something tells me this room has been recently renovated otherwise Dosa would have guards on it."

"Damn, leave it to Lucas to find it," said Miguel, worry creasing his forehead.

Nathan sighed. "He's too smart for his own good."

"I swear that kid has a guardian angel watching over him."

"You and me both, Lieutenant."

Nathan patted Miguel on the shoulder and grabbed a hot cup of coffee to take with him. He noticed that Dosa was standing off to the corner of the room by himself playing on his cell phone. The man looked angry. _Tread carefully._ Nathan eyed the man carefully as he walked towards Dosa, looking for body language that would alert him to how Dosa was feeling. Dosa looked up at him as he approached but didn't look threatening. It almost seemed like his presence was being welcomed.

"They cut my cell service." Nathan nodded, showing empathy on his face. Nathan was surprised that it took as long as it did. That meant that he wouldn't be able to use his own communication device in his pocket anymore. But he didn't care. He felt so thankful that Jonathan had gotten Lucas out to safety. He knew that his commander would make sure Lucas stayed out of trouble. That knowledge alone made him relax. Knowing Lucas was safe took a huge load off his mind.

"I'm told the coffee is good." Nathan held out a hot cup of coffee.

"You're told? Didn't you have any?"

"Instant. I can't stand the stuff!"

Dosa accepted the hot drink and took a long drink. He sat quietly on the table, breathing in the aroma of the hot substance. _Yuck! How can anyone drink that stuff?_

"What kind of food did they send in?"

"Chocolate donuts, muffins and fresh fruit."

Dosa smirked. "Sounds like a continental breakfast." Nathan allowed a smile to tug at his lips. Dosa was quiet for a few minutes as he seemed to be lost in his thoughts as he drank his coffee.

"Tell me more about your kid, Bridger."

Nathan searched his head for something to say. _We have a commonality. Keep engaging him. Get him to start talking about himself. Keep the conversation light._

"Well, he spends most of his free time on board my ship swimming with Darwin."

"Darwin?"

"Yes, he's a dolphin I rescued from poacher's nets. My son tamed him and trained him to be a pet." _Not completely true but good enough._

Dosa's interest was piqued. "That's a unique pet."

"What grade is your son in?" asked Nathan.

"Since we moved to the underwater colonies, my wife has been homeschooling the kids. Mikal is in the tenth grade." Dosa emptied his mug and set it down. "How do you handle school on a submarine, Captain?"

"I guess you could say he's on a one year co-op. He just wrote me a large research paper on the dangers of driving while under the influence." Nathan noticed the man's brow furrow, casting a concerned look. It was the look only a parent could have. "He sneaked out to a party, had a few drinks and drove home."

Dosa whistled. "Your son sounds like a handful, Bridger."

"Not really. He's a good kid actually. I think it's just hard on him being stuck on a submarine surrounded by 200 parents."

Dosa looked at his gun in his hand and his face grew serious again. Nathan wasn't sure what he was thinking. It was like he could see the colour drain from the man's face.

"This isn't the same world we grew up in, Bridger. Our kids don't get the luxury of being soft and mollycoddled. You're not doing him any favours to over-protect him."

Nathan shifted his position as he leaned against the wall. He had finished his juice box, and his stomach was growling now for food. He glanced around the room and was surprised to see Kristin wandering towards him. _What the hell? Kristin, what are you thinking?_ He made his face look stern as she approached him. _Turn around and go back._ From the corner of his eye, he saw Dosa's demeanor change slightly. His features hardened and his resolve stiffened.

"Nice to see you awake, Doctor. Now you can attend to my friend."

Kristin held two pieces of fruit and a chocolate donut in her hand. Her face was pale and she had black circles under her eyes.

"What happened to your friend?" She offered a piece of fruit to Nathan. Dosa glared at her and snatched the other piece of fruit from her hands.

"While you were getting your beauty sleep, I shot him." Dosa's voice was sounding dangerously threatening again. _Damn it, Kris; back away NOW!_ Nathan felt his pulse increase. Dosa reached out and snatched the donut from her other hand, shoving it in his mouth. The man took a few steps towards her and appeared to checking her out. Nathan clenched his jaw when Dosa touched her cheek with his hand. Chocolate smeared her face from his hands.

"You're a handsome woman." Nathan saw a determined look cross Kristin's face. _Don't do anything stupid, Kristin. Just accept the compliment and turn away._

Kristin frowned and swiped the man's hand from her face. "You make me sick." Her voice was soft but dripping with hatred. Nathan glared at her. _Kristin!_

"She's a stubborn woman too," said Nathan, flooding his voice with humour. Kristin gave him an unamused look. _It's true, Kristin. What are thinking interfering? What the hell do you think you're doing?_ Dosa looked at Nathan with amusement on his face, seeming to enjoy the moment.

"Is she your woman, Bridger?" Nathan looked sharply at Kristin, trying to gauge the best way to answer that question. If Dosa thought they were together, he might use her as leverage against him. But if Dosa thought she was available, he might decide to take advantage of her. She was the only woman left in the room. She was vulnerable. _Think Nathan. What would be in Kristin's best interest?_ Dosa took a few more steps closer to Kristin. Nathan felt his heart racing in his chest. _Relax Nathan, don't do anything foolish._ Just as Dosa was about to touch her again, a loud sound came from the stage. _Was Tactical infiltrating?_ All eyes in the room turned to the stage and within seconds, Dosa and his men were on their feet and running towards the stage.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin's heart was beating furiously as Dosa brushed his hand against her cheek. She felt something sticky on her face. Anger burned inside of her. _Filthy pig!_ Her thoughts were anything but kind in that moment. Her eyes threw darts at Nathan as he joked with the terrorist about her being stubborn. _You have no idea how stubborn I can be Nathan Bridger! Negotiation doesn't mean making the man your best friend._ Kristin eyed Nathan carefully once again. She'd been watching closely to all his interactions with Dosa, and she had become worried. Part of her wondered if he was suffering from Stockholm syndrome. It wasn't so uncommon for hostages to succumb to the disorder, and Nathan was under a huge amount of stress. Sometimes, it happened that hostages started to sympathise with their captors and befriend them, almost to the point of protecting them. And it wasn't normal for a hostage to be the negotiator. Nothing about this situation was normal. Kristin knew Nathan well enough to know that he was taking responsibility for every single person in the room, including the hostages who had lost their lives. Nathan was that kind of man. He took things personally. _Why are you sharing such personal information about yourself and about Lucas, Nathan? You're supposed to make your conversation believable, but you don't need to tell the truth. There is a difference._

"Is she your woman, Bridger?" asked Dosa, with an arrogant tone in his voice. Kristin felt herself cringe. What era did the man come from? Who talked about women as property anymore? She glared at Nathan, waiting for him to answer; no, daring him to answer.

The loud noise coming from the back of the room made her jump involuntarily. She furrowed her brow as she thought she heard a small voice whimper. _Lucas? That sounded like Lucas!_ Her heart pounded faster as she rushed to Nathan's side as Dosa and some of his men rushed to the stage.

"Nathan, tell me I'm crazy, but I thought I heard Lucas."

Nathan looked at her with wild fear in his eyes. "He was here! I told Jonathan to get him out." Kristin put her hand to her mouth. _How? How could he get in?_ "Go stand with Miguel and Tim, Kristin!" Kristin heard the command in his voice. It left no room for argument. She stood trembling as she watched Nathan rush across the room. _Be careful, Nathan!_

As Kristin watched helplessly from the side of the room, Dosa and a few of his men disappeared behind the curtain of the stage. Nathan followed behind at a sensible distance. Kristin heard some shouts and curses and then the curtains were pulled open. Kristin sucked in a breath when she saw a gunmen holding Lucas by his hair. The boy was whimpering in fear but was screaming at the man. _There's a door back there! Did Sheppard know that was there?_

"Let me go!" shouted Lucas.

Kristin released a painful breath when she saw Nathan walk across the stage towards the gunman. Nathan held his hands up in the air and had his eyes on Lucas the whole time.

"Please, don't hurt him! He's just a boy. Look, can't you see he's frightened?"

The gunman shook the teenager fiercely and shouted at him to shut-up. Kristin wrung her hands together as she watched Lucas' reaction closely. _It's okay, Lucas. Don't panic. Nathan can handle this for you._

Dosa stalked towards Lucas and pointed his weapon at him. "Where the hell did you come from, kid?"

"I-I…" stammered Lucas.

Nathan turned quickly to Dosa. "He was at the Summit. I saw him with his parents. He must have hidden back here in fear when you came in."

Dosa glared at Nathan. He reached out and grabbed Lucas by the arm roughly. His mercenary stepped back with an amused look on his face. Lucas' face was white with fear, and Kristin could see his hands were trembling. Dosa dragged Lucas off the stage with him stumbling in an attempt to stay on his feet. He hauled him towards his wounded man, Tarek, and shoved him on top of the man. Tarek cried out in pain as Lucas landed on top of him. Kristin saw Nathan quickly follow.

"There's a gawdamn door back there! Did you know the stage had an entrance?" Dosa's face was red with fury. Tarek moaned in pain as Lucas struggled to get to his feet only to be knocked back down, again landing on Tarek.

"NO, no, the blueprints didn't show a door to this room." Kristin could see the look of agony on the man's face. Lucas had landed on his shoulder and bumped the injury. Blood was flowing again from the wound once more. The man's face was pale from loss of blood.

"Son of a bitch!" Dosa grabbed Lucas by his hair again, dragging him towards Nathan who was approaching them. Kristin could see the desperate look on Nathan's face. She felt certain that Dosa could see it as well. Dosa pulled Lucas up by his hair and wrapped his arm around his neck, pointing the gun at his temple.

"Have you been hiding back there the whole time, kid?" Kristin saw Lucas nod his head; tears were cascading down his cheeks. _Please don't hurt him!_

"He's just a boy, Mr. Dosa. He looks to be about Mikal's age," said Nathan.

Kristin saw Dosa's hand tremble as he held Lucas tightly. Lucas was breathing heavily with a look of terror on his face. _Play along, Lucas._

"Where are your parents, kid?" Dosa shook him roughly as he shoved the gun harder into his temple. Lucas was trembling and stammering words that Kristin couldn't make out.

"His father is there." Nathan pointed to the pile of dead hostages. As if on cue, Lucas screamed in shock when he saw the bodies, bloodied and dead. Kristin saw Dosa's face twitch as he too looked at the dead hostages. He dragged Lucas over to the pile and shoved him down to his knees.

"Which one is your father?" Kristin saw Lucas look at Dosa with a pleading look. His face looked horrified as he turned to look at the bodies. His hands were on the floor as he balanced himself. Dosa was shoving down hard on his back, still pressing the gun against his head. The blood from the bodies had pooled onto the floor in a sticky puddle. Lucas' hands were almost submerged in the blood. Kristin held her breath as she watched Lucas gag and choke back tears. He looked at Dosa again and then back at the dead hostages. Kristin held her breath. _Pick one Lucas. Play along. C'mon, you can do it!_ As if he could hear her pleading with him, his shaking, blood-covered hand pointed at a blonde-haired man. The body was contorted in an awkward position as another body had been thrown on top. It was stiff with rigor mortis. Kristin sucked in another breath as Lucas vomited on top of the bodies. Dosa seemed unmoved by the action.

"Give the kid a break, man. You already killed his father!" shouted a man from the room. Kristin whirled around as the man rose to his feet. Kristin thought her heart might stop as Dosa turned to glower at the man. Within seconds, Dosa had released his grip on Lucas and flown across the room towards the man who dared to defy him. In one fell swoop, Dosa grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck and slammed his head into the table with a sickening thud. Then in another quick motion, he pulled the man's head up by the hair and slammed it down again and again. Dosa's face was ferocious. Kristin bit her lip trembling and turned from the scene to see Nathan rushing to Lucas' side. She watched him embrace the frightened boy and pull him away from the massacred bodies towards her. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the boy's terrified face. She could tell he was in shock as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Keep him close to you, Kris." Nathan brushed his hand along her cheek momentarily looking at her with a look she couldn't read. Then he pulled Lucas' chin up to make eye contact. "You did good, Lucas. Pretend you don't know me, alright? Just follow my lead." Kristin pulled Lucas closer, feeling him trembling as he nodded in silence. Kristin swallowed hard as Nathan turned to walk away again. Then he stopped to face her again.

"Don't say his name. Call him anything but Lucas." Kristin nodded.

Kristin ran a hand through Lucas' unkempt hair and reminded herself to breath. She forced him to sit in the nearest chair and turned his head to look at her.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Lucas didn't answer but instead pulled his head away and continued to stare across the room. Dosa continued assaulting the man who dared to stand up for him. The teenager's eyes were filled with tears as he gazed on the scene in horror. Kristin wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. Dosa was certifiably insane, unpredictable and dangerous. Kristin was beginning to doubt that any of them were going to get out alive.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N-Thanks for the reviews. You make me smile when I read them.**_

 _ **Things are starting to pick up! Stay tuned :)**_

Sheppard slammed his fist onto the desk when the vid-link ended. Bridger had just informed him of a kid being discovered hiding on the stage. A scuffle had ensued as a result of the kid being found and another hostage had been killed. Dosa was on a rampage in the room, threatening to shoot anyone who dared to move. Dosa had had his gun butted harshly against Bridger's head and was shouting obscenities while Bridger calmly tried to inform Sheppard of what was happening. Dosa had demanded that Bridger inform the powers that be that he now had a kid as a hostage and that they had better step up getting Abdul Singh released. Dosa threatened that the teenager would be the first target of his newest demonstrations. _What kids were in attendance at the Summit? Was the Wolenczak kid the only one?_ _My intel said he was the only one._ The mood in the room was getting tense, and no one had even started to get sick yet. Sheppard hadn't expected to hear from Bridger so soon after the food was delivered. _Things are spinning out of control in there. Gain control again, Bridger!_ Sheppard heard himself groan and then he pounded his fist on the desk again. He felt helpless. In all his years as a hostage negotiator, this was the first time he felt useless. He was used to having some control. _Damn it!_ A knock on the door behind him caused him to spin on his heel, glaring at the interruption.

"More unpleasant news?" said Colonel Hitchcock softly as he entered the room.

Sheppard sighed and ran a weary hand through his hair as he watched the man come in the room and pour himself a cup of coffee.

"A kid was found hiding on the stage, and now Dosa is going ballistic in the room. He's pissed about there being a door back there. And he's pissed that the kid was back there undetected for so long."

"Lucas?" The concerned look was unmistakable on the man's face.

"I think he was the only kid present at the Summit. I sent one of my personnel to double-check the updated record of attendance. If it's Lucas then Bridger's doing one hell of a job masking it. He gave me no indication that it was personal."

The Colonel nodded. "Bridger is professional in every sense of the word, Commander. If it's Lucas, Dosa won't know the relationship if Bridger has any say in the matter…"

The phone rang in the room, and Sheppard grabbed it on the first ring.

"Sheppard."

"The Wolenczak boy was the only kid in attendance at the Summit, Commander." _Damn it! Stupid kid. If Bridger doesn't kick your ass all the way back to SeaQuest, I will._

"Roger that." Sheppard slammed the phone down and looked at the Colonel. "The only kid in the room is that damned Wolenczak kid."

Sheppard watched the colonel scrub a hand over his face. He knew he wasn't the only one who knew how much the turn of events made things complicated. Having Lucas in there made things more complex. Children gave the hostage-taker more leverage. They couldn't be sure how Bridger would react. It was bad enough that some of his senior crew was in attendance, but at least he was used to them being in danger. Lucas was a personal liability to Bridger.

"How well do you know Nathan Bridger, Commander?"

"Not well at all. I've read his command file and his psychological profile. But know him? No, I don't."

Colonel Hitchcock set his mug on the table. "I've known Nathan for years. You can count on him to be professional until his dying breath."

"Colonel, Lucas is his kid."

"His ward. There's a difference."

"According to my intel, I don't believe there is a difference to Bridger."

"Lucas has been on SeaQuest through some extremely dangerous situations. Not one of them has compromised how Nathan handled his command, has it?"

Sheppard stared at the older man standing in front of him knowing he was right. When the terrorist, Schraeder, and his mercenaries commandeered SeaQuest, Nathan had agreed with his commander to sink the submarine if necessary to prevent Schraeder's escape. Bridger had agreed that there was nothing that could be done to save Lucas or the skeleton crew on board if the boat sank. He had remained professional despite the risk of personal loss. And that was just one instance of which he had personal knowledge. Bridger's service record was filled with other instances. _Not to mention, 100's more where he disobeyed direct orders to do what he thought was the right thing despite being told otherwise. You are as unpredictable as Dosa, Bridger._

"I know that Lucas has made things more convoluted, but I know Nathan Bridger. He will not allow his emotions to compromise his actions."

"I second that, Commander."

Both men turned to see Jonathan standing in the doorway. His eyes were heavy with fatigue. Sheppard motioned the man to come into the room and sit down.

"I thought you were ordered to rest, Commander," said Sheppard. Jonathan rubbed the back of his neck as he took a seat beside the Colonel.

"I can't rest." His face looked grim. "There is one thing you are forgetting here, Shep." Sheppard squint an eye at Jonathan when he used his nickname from the academy. _Careful Commander, familiarity breeds contempt._

"What's that?"

"I know you're ticked at Lucas for interfering, but he did something Tactical hasn't accomplished yet. He got in and got me out."

Sheppard groaned. "You're not seriously defending his behaviour to me, are you, Commander?" Sheppard put his hands on his hips and glared at Ford with contempt.

Jonathan stood up and poked a finger in his direction. "Bridger is working his butt off in there to keep people alive. What the hell are you doing?" Sheppard could hear the exhaustion in the man's voice, and he saw the colonel put a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was easy to see that Jonathan was emotionally spent as well as worried about his fellow crew members. He was no longer in danger, but he was feeling as helpless as the rest of them. Sheppard sighed. Nothing about the situation was going in the direction he was happy with. He was used to being the negotiator. He was used to having the relationship with the hostage-taker and having some measure of control. Having a hostage as the negotiator was just a bad idea all the way around. _There has to be a way to take that from you, Bridger._

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas' hand trembled as he sat beside Miguel holding the juice box Dr. Westphalen had given him. His hands and arms were still covered in sticky blood. His clothes were blood-splattered from being thrusted on the wounded gunman and then shoved into the pile of dead hostages. Lucas frowned. He could see the doctor trying to help several of the hostages who had been manhandled by Dosa on his temper-driven rampage. Miguel kept trying to get him to talk but Lucas refused. He felt tears burning in his eyes as he glanced at the pile of dead hostages in the centre of the room. He watched as one of Dosa's thugs callously tossed the body of the man who had spoken up for him onto the pile. The memory of Dosa brutally beating the man's head against the table was burned into his brain. It was like the terrorist had lost his mind as he pounded the man to death. Blood had splattered all across the table and onto the other hostages who stood helplessly by, unable to stop it. Captain Bridger had finally been able to get him to stop by shouting at him. Dosa froze with the man's head in midair and glared at the captain. Lucas remembered holding his breath, wondering if Dosa would turn on him next. _How could I be so dumb? I've made everything ten times worse. I wanted to help and now that man died because of me._ Lucas choked back a sob that he felt building in him. _Stop it! Crying won't bring that man back!_

Lucas put his head down on the table listening to his heart beating. _I'm such an idiot. I can't believe I tripped after all I did to get in here undetected._ Once Jonathan had left, Lucas had formed a plan in his mind of how he would gain the attention of one of the crew. He had made his way across the stage in the pitch blackness and had peeked out the curtains. He'd had the perfect plan. As he made his way towards the door off the stage, he tripped on something that was against the wall. He had thought it would be safe to keep to the edges of the stage. _It was so dark on the stage. I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face._ It wasn't until someone yanked the curtains open and Dosa had him by the hair that he noticed all the construction equipment against the stage walls. The room must have been recently renovated and all the tools stored on the stage behind the curtains before the Summit event. Lucas groaned and winced involuntarily. He felt his leg pulsing painfully. He was afraid to look at how badly he was injured. He had seen blood on the blade of the circular saw. He must have tripped over it. It was resting upside down when he caught a glimpse of it as the curtains were drawn open. _Captain Bridger must hate me._

"Are you okay?" asked Miguel again. Lucas turned to look at his friend's concerned face.

"I'm fine."

"You got Jonathan out, Lucas. That's to be commended."

"I got caught, Miguel."

Miguel nodded his agreement. "I know. But let's not dwell on that right now. Bridger needs us to stay positive for him. We need a plan." Lucas put his head up and looked at his friend. "Bridger doesn't want Dosa to know you're part of SeaQuest. Do you understand why?"

Lucas nodded. He wasn't stupid. Kids were leverage for hostage-takers. He being in the room didn't bode well for anyone. Lucas cast a glance over at Captain Bridger. Dosa still had him at gunpoint, but the captain had managed to calm the man down somewhat. Dosa had killed one hostage and injured three others in his rampage. Tears rolled down Lucas' cheeks and he roughly swiped them away. _Stop it! This is your fault, Lucas._ He looked over at Dr. Westphalen who was being shoved around by another gunman. She was trying to help the wounded hostages as well as the one wounded gunman. That man didn't look well at all. Lucas licked his lips as he remembered being thrown down on top of the man while he screamed out in agony. He had tried his best to climb off of him without hurting him, but Dosa had rammed him down so hard into the man's injured shoulder.

"Here, try to get that blood off your hands." Lucas looked up to see Tim handing him a cloth. Lucas took the cloth and scrubbed at his hands. He looked at the dried, caked-on blood and felt his stomach churn again. _Don't get sick again. Take deep breaths._

Tim poured some water on his hands. "Things will be okay, Lucas," said Tim. _Always the optimist._ Lucas watched as the water dripped off his hands onto the floor. The dried blood loosened and covered the cloth as well. Tim kneeled down to his level and accidently bumped into his leg. It was then Lucas noticed his jeans were torn and blood had seeped through the material.

"OW!" Lucas grimaced as he put his wet, sticky hand over his mouth. _Don't draw attention to yourself._ Lucas saw Tim's face fill with concern. Tim reached out, ripping the pant leg further to expose the injury.

"Whoa! That's a nasty gash, Lucas. You have so much blood on you, I never noticed you were hurt," Lucas bit his lip as he glanced down at his leg. The circular saw had ripped a good ten inch gaping hole in his leg. Tim immediately applied pressure on the wound making Lucas cry out softly. _Damn, that hurts!_

 _"_ It's gonna need stitches."

Miguel tapped Tim on the shoulder. "Stop saying his name. Bridger doesn't want Dosa to connect the dots."

Tim nodded gravely. "He needs the doctor. Keep pressure on the wound." Tim rose to his feet and walked towards the doctor.

Lucas took a deep breath to help control the pain. He hadn't realised how much it hurt until Tim pulled up his pain leg and the air hit it. It was a deep gash. He groaned as Miguel pushed on it. He leaned down and pushed the man's hand away. _I can do it myself. Geez, stop treating me like a kid._ Miguel looked at him in frustration.

"If anyone asks you your name, tell them your name is Adam."

Lucas nodded, blinking back a fresh onslaught of tears. _All I've done is make a mess of things._ Lucas bit his lip as he cast another glance towards Captain Bridger. Dosa had released his grip on him and was looking more relaxed. It appeared that whatever the captain was saying was alleviating some tension from the man. The captain stole a look in his direction and for a moment their eyes met. Lucas tried to read what the captain was trying to communicate to him from across the room. _I'm so sorry, Captain._ He thought he saw the captain wink at him. He blinked a few times and concentrated on the man's face. This time he saw the wink clearly. The action immediately relaxed Lucas. _Maybe he doesn't hate me, after all._

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

"I'm sorry the kid's presence threw you for a loop," said Nathan, stealing a short glance at Lucas across the room. The teenager looked white as a ghost, and Nathan knew the kid would be beating himself up over getting caught. _Oh, kiddo, you've done a lot of irresponsible things in your time but this one takes the cake._ Nathan turned to see Dosa's expression still dangerously hostile. He'd released his grip but hadn't dropped the aim of his weapon. It was still trained at Nathan's head. Nathan brushed a hand over his face, feeling the bristles. _Sometimes I miss having a beard._ The rough feeling of his face made him long for the quieter, less stressful days on his island with Darwin. _Focus, Bridger. Don't lose your edge now._ Nathan blinked and forced himself to look closely at Dosa. It was apparent to him that Lucas' existence in the room was troubling Dosa immensely. Dosa frowned as he stared across the room at Lucas. The look made Nathan feel extremely uncomfortable.

"He's been hiding all this time." It wasn't a question, but a statement of disbelief. "For crying out loud, he looks like my son. Mikal has blonde hair." _So that's it. Lucas reminds him of his son. Work that. Make him feel for the kid._

"Do you know that kid?" said Dosa.

Nathan shook his head. "My crew was here to speak on our peacekeeping efforts. Most of the people in attendance are scientists, stockholders or interested supporters of the UEO." _Crap, I shouldn't have said that._ Dosa's temper flared at the information as Nathan expected. There was no way in hell Dosa wanted to hear that people supported the UEO. Not when he was so embittered. "He's just a kid, Mr. Dosa," said Nathan, hoping to change the direction of the conversation. "Let me bargain with Sheppard for something and let him go."

Dosa scoffed. "Give me a break, Bridger. That kid gives me more power than any single one of you in here, and you know it. I could release all of you, keep that kid and still make the UEO dance to the beat of my drum."

Nathan heaved a weary sigh, knowing his demeanor in that moment wasn't the greatest.

"You think I'm a bastard, don't you?" said Dosa.

Nathan bit his tongue, keeping his features soft and non-judgemental. _You seriously don't want to know what I think right now, Dosa. If you hurt Lucas, you will rue the day you ever set eyes on me._ _I'll kill you myself._

"I understand your plight. I understand the want to have freedom," replied Nathan. Dosa continued to glare at him. Almost as if on a dare, Dosa leaned in dangerously close to him. Nathan could feel the man's breath on his face. He dropped his weapon to his side.

"He might remind me of my son, Bridger, but he's not." With those ominous words, Dosa rose to his feet and started walking across the room towards Lucas.

Nathan felt his heart leap into his chest as his eyes darted across the room to see Lucas. Kristin was kneeling beside him, looking at something on his leg. Nathan frowned. Was Lucas hurt? How? When he tripped, maybe? It was hard to tell because the kid was covered in blood. Dosa was making his way quickly to them. Nathan forced himself to take a deep breath. He could feel himself trembling slightly. _Keep it together, Nathan. You found a commonality, now work it. Dosa's son is the key to this; I just know it!_ Nathan balled his fists up and released them several times as he forced himself to walk nonchalantly across the room after Dosa.

Dosa stood in front of Lucas and Kristin, staring at them. Nathan sucked in a sharp breath when he saw the gash in the kid's leg.

"Looks like you borrowed more trouble than you intended, kid," said Dosa, pulling Kristin away roughly. Nathan grimaced when he noticed she stumbled to catch her footing. "What's your name?" Dosa poked his shoe at Lucas' wounded leg. The boy winced.

"A-adam." _Adam?_ Nathan blinked, looking at Tim and Miguel. He saw them both nod so casually that it was almost imperceptible. Dosa stared at him.

"How'd you hurt your leg, Adam?" said Dosa.

"He tore it open on the circular saw on the stage stairs," answered Kristin, trying to get closer to Lucas. "He needs stitches."

Dosa whistled. "Damn, that's gonna hurt, kid." Dosa grabbed Kristin by the hair and pulled her back roughly. "And I don't remember asking you anything, Doctor, so keep your pretty little mouth shut unless I speak to you!" _Come on, Kristin. Back down. Don't make him anymore pissed off._

"She won't do it again, Mr. Dosa," said Nathan. Then he looked at her sternly. "Do you have what you need to stitch him up?" Kristin glared. Nathan could tell she had reached her limit of Dosa. He didn't see fear in her eyes anymore. He saw angry hatred. _Great, now I have an enraged momma bear on my hands._ _Relax Kristin; let me handle this._

Dosa grabbed Lucas roughly and stood him up on his feet. Nathan sucked in a sharp breath as he forced himself to remain calm. Kristin lurched forward but Nathan caught her arm roughly. She yanked her arm away and threw daggers at him with her eyes. _Dammit, Kristin, just trust me! Follow my lead._ He pleaded with her with his eyes. He could see she was getting more and more angry.

"Does that hurt, kid?" Dosa shoved Lucas to his knees, and Nathan could see him grimace in obvious pain. _You sick son of a bitch._ It pricked at him when the teenager didn't even cry out. Lucas looked up a Dosa and met his gaze briefly with courage that Nathan couldn't help but admire.

"I'm fine."

"Adam, what grade are you in school?" asked Nathan.

Lucas looked at him. "10th" _Good job, kiddo. Play along._

"Why did you come to the Summit?" demanded Dosa.

"M-my father wanted me to learn more about stuff."

Dosa pulled Lucas up to his feet, shaking him. "Why did you hide?"

"I was scared. You were shooting people."

"Did anyone break in that back door?"

Lucas shook his head. "No."

Dosa smacked him in the face harshly. "You're lying!"

Nathan clenched his jaw and watched Kristin from the corner of his eye.

Kristin's face was red with fury. "Stop it!" she shouted at Dosa.

Dosa glared at her briefly then smiled eerily. He grabbed Lucas by the hair and pulled him several feet away from them. Lucas whimpered but didn't fight him. Nathan felt his heart in his chest. _Stay calm, Lucas. Don't panic._ What was Dosa going to do now? Dosa stopped and looked back at Kristin. He shoved Lucas to his knees again and smacked him in the face again. Then he pointed his weapon across the room towards them.

"Don't interfere when I'm talking to the kid." Dosa glowered at them menacingly then returned his attention to Lucas. "Answer me! Did anyone come in that door?"

"N-no." Dosa smacked him again, splitting his lip.

Nathan pinched his nose. "What makes you think the kid is lying to you?"

Dosa looked up with sneer. "He was back there for hours by himself…"

"Exactly. If anyone had come in, don't you think they would have got the kid out?" Nathan kept his face neutral and his voice calm. Dosa looked at Lucas, apparently mulling over the words. He raised his hand in the air and brought it back down on the back of Lucas' head this time. Lucas lost his balance and fell forward onto the floor. Dosa kicked him in the side. Lucas screamed out in pain.

"Stay out of trouble, kid, or I'll teach you a thing or two about obedience." _Don't get up, Lucas. Stay down. Don't move._ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kristin move suddenly. As he reached out to stop her, she jerked away and stepped towards Dosa.

"Leave him the hell alone!" Her voice was quavering but she stood her ground with determination. _Don't be foolish!_ Nathan felt his pulse quicken. _Kristin!_

Dosa looked up at her with anger burning in his eyes. He stalked towards her and grabbed her arm. Nathan held his breath trying to think of how to diffuse the situation. At this rate, Kristin was going to end up hurt or worse. Dosa shoved her to the floor and backhanded her in the mouth. Nathan saw Lucas pull himself up to his feet. Nathan signaled him to stay down, and he took a breath of relief when the boy obeyed.

"The boy will need some stitches, Mr. Dosa. How is your man doing?" said Nathan, trying to refocus the man. Dosa was breathing heavily as he smacked Kristin in the face again and pulled her up by the hair.

"Keep your mouth shut, Doctor. I don't want to hear your voice again unless you're spoken too. Understand me?" Kristin nodded. She wiped her lip with the back of her hand. Nathan looked at her compassionately. _I'm so sorry, Kristin. I want to kill this guy with my bare hands for laying a hand on you and Lucas._ Kristin blinked back tears but remained quiet. Dosa pulled her up to her feet by her hair and shoved her towards Lucas.

"Fix up the kid." Dosa turned and glared at Nathan then walked towards his men.

Nathan watched as Kristin stumbled to catch her footing, covered her mouth to prevent a sob and rushed to Lucas' side. Nathan stood still for a moment as he continued to watch Dosa walk towards his men. He wanted to make sure that the man was finished with him for now. He needed to be careful how he interacted with Kristin and Lucas. He had to look unattached. Dosa glared at him from across the room. It was obvious at that point that the man needed space. Nathan leaned against the table, fatigue enveloping him momentarily. How much longer was this going to continue? He wasn't sure how much more he could take. He put his hand to his mouth, pinching his lip. He could hear the other hostages talking quietly among themselves. He turned to look at Miguel and Tim who had sat down. Miguel looked pale. The situation was taking a toll on everyone.

Nathan pressed his lips together as he stood to his feet. Kristin was half carrying Lucas towards him. Her face looked white again, blood seeping from her split lip. He walked towards her, reached out and took Lucas in his arms. He leaned in close to the teen and whispered a few encouraging words.

"Hang in there, kiddo." He felt the boy nod his head. As Nathan pulled away, he felt Lucas trembling. He looked at Kristin and reached out to touch her, but she pulled away. His eyes met hers and she frowned at him. He sighed wearily. He didn't know what she was thinking at the moment, but he backed away allowing her to attend to the boy. He walked towards the box of food and grabbed a piece of fruit. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. His head ached. Walking over to Miguel and Tim, he sat down solemnly. Miguel gave him an odd look and then projectile vomited across the floor.


	13. Chapter 13

Admiral Bill Noyce couldn't sleep. His head ached. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed in his room at the conference centre. He glanced over at his wife, who appeared to be finally resting peacefully. She had been so traumatised with terror and grief when he was notified that she had been released. It would be a long time before he would forget the look on her face when he got to her. He'd wrapped her in his arms as tightly as he could without hurting her, and she had clung to him; never had he'd been so thankful for anything in all his life.

Janet stirred and sleepily reached out her hand, touching his back.

"Bill, are you alright?"

He nodded his head. "I'm fine, Janet." he said, trying to brush his thoughts aside, he added, "I have a bit of a headache."

He stood up and started to maneuver his way across the room through his sleepy stupor. "I'm going to get a Tylenol." The room was fairly dark with the curtains drawn closed, but he could see his wife sit up in bed, reach over and switch on the light on the night stand. She pulled herself up in the bed and stared at him in concern. Bill gave her a reassuring smile as he walked from the bedroom towards the small bathroom. He entered the tiny room and shut the door behind him. He flipped on the light switch; the brilliant glass of the fixture was sparkling so brightly that it hurt his eyes. Now that he was more awake, his head began to throb even more. He splashed some water on his face. He lifted his head up and caught his reflection in the mirror. He stared at his grizzled face, the day's growth of beard so gray. _I look like an aged homeless person._ He scooped up more water and splashed his face again, hoping to alleviate some of the throbbing in his head. He felt more awake as he stared at his reflection again. He looked like he'd been out in the rain, or sweating, or crying, and—

He realised in that moment why he couldn't sleep. Besides the fact that his head hurt, he felt a deep, painful ache. _Guilt._ _Horrendous, overpowering guilt._

Guilt that he was safe and not still held captive in that Summit room along with Nathan. His good friend was still in the middle of hell; mediating and negotiating with a terrorist. And Nathan had managed to get him out. And Janet too. He would forever be indebted to the man. Just because he was an Admiral didn't mean he had any say in matters like this. He had no more say than the man at the local fast food restaurant. As soon as Dosa involved civilians, it was no longer just a military problem. Besides, he was too emotionally involved to be useful to anyone. Bill leaned against the sink, feeling himself trembling. He gripped the side of the sink tightly as his mind wandered over what had happened when he was in the room. The madman, Dosa, shooting hostages with little remorse. He being restrained and forced to sit in a chair on the podium for hours. He'd never felt so helpless—so utterly useless. He had bowed to Nathan's leadership because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nathan was better suited to deal with it. Nathan was used to being in the thick of things. _You've gotten soft, you old dog._ He admitted to himself that he didn't have the stamina anymore. _You're an old goat, Bill. Time to be put out to pasture._ He shook his head, continuing to chide himself. _Guilt is eating at you because you're a coward._

His mind started pondering over things in detail as he lowered himself to sit on the toilet seat. The memories were making him feel shaky. _Sitting in that hard backed chair for hours, banging my foot against the annoying lump under the carpet. The convention centre was lucky no one tripped over the damned raised carpet when they walked to the podium earlier in the evening during the speeches._ When he was sitting on the stage, his foot kept bumping against an object under the carpet. He didn't think much of it at the time except it was irritating. He found shifting his legs back and forth on the carpet soothing—helping to use up his nervous, pent-up energy. The annoying bulge in the carpet had exasperated him. He kept focussing on it to keep his mind off things occurring in the room. He kept wishing he could stand up and move the carpet away so he could retrieve whatever was underneath. Obviously one of the employees had thrown down the carpet haphazardly without checking to see if anything was on the floor. They were lucky no one had tripped on the lump during the speeches when the room's lighting was furrowed his brow as his mind conjured up a picture of the moved his foot on the floor of the bathroom, remembering the shape and size of the hump. His jaw dropped open. _That lump-It's a handle in the floor?_ _Could it be an entrance into the room? I need to talk to Sheppard._

Bill rose to his feet and hurried back into the bedroom quickly. He rushed to the chair in the corner of the room and pulled on his pants.

"Where are you going?" asked Janet, who was reading a book.

"There's a handle under the carpet on the stage."

Janet's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." Bill sat on the end of the bed, tying his shoes. "I felt that bulge in the carpet with my foot for hours. It was irritating the crap out of me." He grabbed his dress jacket from the closet and went to the door.

"Bill, wait…" called Janet. He hesitated briefly. She walked to his side and embraced him. He pulled her in close for several seconds, breathing in her scent. She was still trembling too. It was going to be a long time before either one of them felt safe again. _I will never be able to repay you, Nathan._

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Katie felt something warm lying on top of her. She stirred, reaching her hand out to feel what was on her. Her hand touched another hand causing her to open her eyes in surprise. She blinked a few times to see her father leaning over her. His face looked grim.

"Daddy?"

She sat up, realising it was her father's jacket on top of her. She must have drifted off for a while after she'd eaten. Her neck felt stiff as she straightened up. She was still sitting in a sofa in the lobby of the conference centre. The area was so crowded with personnel that she was surprised she'd fallen asleep. Perhaps the busyness had just become white noise to her.

Her father sat beside her and placed a warm hand on her knee, patting it.

"Daddy?" she said again.

"There is no easy way to say this," said her father.

Katie felt her heart rate increase. _Did Dosa kill one of the crew?_ "Daddy, please just spit it out!" _Why did I fall asleep? I should have been in the command room!_

"Lucas was discovered hiding on the stage. Dosa's got him."

Katie put a hand to her mouth, her hand trembling. She wasn't surprised, just terrified at the thought. She knew it was a possibility when Lucas tricked Jonathan into leaving via the back door, but part of her had been holding out hope that he'd escape. She forced herself to take a deep breath as she blinked back tears. Things just got worse. Captain Bridger was balancing so much already and now Lucas was in the mix. Her father squeezed her knee.

"How are you holding up, Katie-Kat?"

"Me?" Her voice cracked slightly. For some reason the question shocked her. She forgot for a moment that it was her father speaking. Obviously she could see it was him but part of her had forgotten that he was her parent. A warm smile spread across his face as he looked at her with so much love. How many times had the two of them argued about stupid things lately? It seemed like every time she called home, he'd bring up something that grated on her nerves. _Prideful is what you are Katherine Hitchcock._

"Yes, you." He winked at her.

"I'm fine, daddy. I'm not in any danger and never was."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." He reached out and tapped her on the nose. She dropped her gaze and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head.

"I should have taken him with me."

"Yah, I thought so."

Katie frowned. "You thought what?" She tried to mask the fact that she almost whined.

Her father patted her head gently. "You haven't changed since you were ten years old, and Lacey Philips fell out of that tree."

Katie groaned. "Daddy…" Her voice was definitely a whine now. She lifted her chin to look at her dad, and he raised an eye brow.

"Just like you didn't make Lacey climb that tree, you didn't make Lucas go into that room." Katie opened her mouth to argue, but her dad put a finger to her lips. "Stop blaming yourself! You beating yourself up isn't going to change anything. We need to put our energy to better use." Katie heaved a weary sigh knowing her father was right. Besides, she was just feeling sorry for herself.

Her father's face grew even more serious as he looked at her. Katie sat up straighter and pulled her knees up closer. She braced herself for more. She knew that look. Her father wasn't finished. He had more to say.

"Tactical is ready to make a move. I was listening to their intel, and it's not going to be pretty. People are going to get hurt."

"They need to wait longer, daddy. Give the drugs some time to work."

Her father nodded in agreement. "I agree but Tactical is finished waiting. You know how these things work, Katherine. Bridger has had his time. Sheppard doesn't trust he can hold things together any longer. Unfortunately, Lucas has only made it worse." Katie watched as her dad scrubbed a hand over face. "SWAT believes Bridger is compromised."

"No! No, Daddy, Captain Bridger won't be…"

He put up a hand. "It doesn't matter what we think. Negotiation is secondary now. Tactical is going to infiltrate."

Katie dropped her feet to the floor and stood up indignantly. "There isn't any way into that room but by the ceiling!" Her heart jumped into her throat. Her father stood up, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort while she continued. "Dosa will open fire on the room and kill everyone. He has nothing to lose." Katie felt tears run down her cheeks. She could see the concern in her father's eyes as well. For a moment they were both quiet. Then he father spoke again softly.

"I saw Mitch sitting outside at the picnic table." Her father clenched his jaw slightly. "You were really hard on him before, Katherine." _Why does that tone of voice still make me feel like I'm 10 years old again?_

"I know."

"He's got friends in that room too." Katie's eyes continued to swim with tears. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears trickling down he cheeks and dropped her hands to her sides. Everyone was emotionally invested in the people in that room. "I'm going to see what Sheppard's next move is. Why don't you go see how Mitch is?" Katie nodded. At this point, there was nothing she could do to help anyone. The least she could do was offer some kind words to another hurting person.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin bit her lip as she finished tying the last stitch. She looked up at Tim whose face was white. That couldn't have been easy on the man, holding Lucas' arms back while he struggled and screamed at them to stop. Her hands were still trembling. She patted the boy on the knee kindly.

"It's all over now, sweetheart. You did great!" She saw Lucas yank his arms away from Tim's tight grip. Tears cascaded down his cheeks and his face was red. She could see in his eyes how much it had hurt. Kristin felt her stomach churn. She hated doing it, but it had to be done. The wound kept bleeding, and it was a deep gash. As she rose to her feet, she mentally scanned his health records in her head, trying to remember if he was up to date on his tetanus shots. Stitching him up under these circumstances was worrisome. She'd had no way to sterilise anything, not her hands or the instruments she used. He could easily get a nasty infection. She absent-mindedly tousled his hair with her fingers, feeling the perspiration in it. His hair was soaked from the ordeal. She felt him pull away and she looked at him, her eyes full of compassion. It always pierced her heart how young he was. He should have been with his parents or out playing basketball with friends. Fun, teenage boy stuff. Heck, she'd even be glad to see his face glued to some stupid video game, filling his face with pop and other junk food. Instead he was in imminent danger. _Why couldn't you have just stayed away, Lucas? Stayed safe._ His face was pasty looking as he sat glaring at her. _It's okay, Lucas. I know you're angry at me for hurting you._ She'd been a doctor for a long time and was used to people showing bitter anger towards her. People were in pain and she often had to add more to help them. Anger was a natural response to pain. Anger was the natural emotion created in a fight-or-flight situation by the physiology of the mind and body.

"I think I'm going to sit down awhile," said Tim. Kristin glanced up at him and noticed his skin had taken a greenish tone. From the corner of her eye, she could see Miguel had his head down on the table. _Could he have caught a flu bug, and it was hitting now because of the immense stress of the situation?_

"Maybe see if there is any juice left, Tim. You look a little worse for wear."

Tim nodded but only made it a few steps before he leaned over and vomited into his hands. He cast her an embarrassed glance and then heaved again, this time projectile vomiting across the floor. Kristin grimaced but hurried to his side to help him sit down. _What on earth? He couldn't have caught the virus from Miguel so quickly?_ She automatically reached out and felt his forehead. _No fever._

"Any other symptoms, Tim? Do you have a headache or body aches?"

"My head is pounding, Doc."

"Are you dizzy?" Tim nodded and put his head on the table with a groan.

Kristin patted his back gently. "Hang in there, and I'll get you some juice." She walked towards the side of the room where the food boxes still sat. Most of the food was gone, but there were still several juice boxes, a few pieces of bruised fruit and some cold coffee left. Kristin grabbed three juice boxes and walked back towards the table. She popped the straw in the juice box and set it beside Tim.

"Take some small sips when you can, Tim. Try to get some rest."

She rubbed her forehead as she walked back over to Lucas, who was staring at the body pile in the centre of the room. She placed herself in front of it to block the view from him and looked at him kindly.

"Feeling any better?"

Lucas nodded. "I-I'm sorry I got so mad at you." His face was still pale. He handed him a drink box and lifted his chin up gently, forcing him to make eye contact with her.

"I can only imagine how much that hurt, sweetheart. No apologies necessary. Drink that juice. You lost a lot a blood, and I don't need you catching what Tim and Miguel have." The teenager swallowed and nodded. She offered him a warm smile. He was frightened and racked with guilt. And she knew that what he really needed was Nathan. He had called out the captain's name once or twice when she was stitching him. It was unintentional and earnest. Nathan made Lucas feel safe. Ever since he had been captured by Wise, Lucas had been more dependent on Nathan, needing him close by to feel safe. The boy had just begun to sleep back in his own quarters on SeaQuest.

Kristin looked over at where Nathan was sitting. He had chosen to sit by himself at a table near the back of the room. He looked exhausted. Kristin chewed on her lip as she felt her emotions being tossed around within her. Part of her wished that Nathan would have stopped Dosa from hurting her and Lucas and everyone else in the room. Another part of her realised that he wasn't some kind of magical being or superhero that could solve everything with the wave of his hand. This was a perilous situation, and Nathan was doing the best he could under the circumstances. _Stop being so unreasonable and expecting the impossible._

Kristin saw Lucas attempt to stand up and take a few steps towards her.

"Hey, you need to elevate that leg, Mister," she said, walking up beside him to help him.

"I wanna go talk to the captain."

"No, Lucas. You can't do that right now."

"Please, Dr. Westphalen, I need to talk to him." Kristin could see the desperate look on his face. She looked over at Nathan, and she could see he was watching them from afar. Kristin forcefully made the teenager sit down. She could hear Miguel moaning from the table beside them.

"Look, I will talk to him and if he thinks it's safe, he will come to you. Okay?" Kristin patted his shoulder. "Can you manage to give this juice box to Miguel?"

"Yah, sure."

Kristin smiled at him again and thrust her hand in her pockets with a sigh. _I'm so drained. What I wouldn't give for a hot bath and a hot cup of tea._ Kristin looked cautiously across the room at Dosa and his men. Just as she began to slowly make her way towards Nathan, she noticed several more hostages vomiting. She furrowed her brow. _How can that happen? It couldn't possibly be a virus unless…_ Kristin's felt the colour drain from her face. She turned to look at Nathan with concern radiating from her. _They've drugged us? What the hell! What did they tamper with? The food? The juice?_ Kristin forgot herself and rushed to Nathan's side.

"Do you feel sick?"

Nathan frowned. "No, why?" He had barely said the words when several more hostages started vomiting, including two of the gunman. She saw Nathan look back at her with concern.

Kristin made her voice as low as possible. "I think they poisoned the food."

"Poisoned?"

"Well, drugged it to make us sick."

Nathan scratched his scruffy face as he drew his brows together. "I feel fine. Do you feel sick?"

Kristin shook her head. "No." She thought a moment as she glanced around the room. More people were looking ill and a few stood up, only to projectile vomit as well.

"What did you have to eat or drink?" asked Kristin.

"I had some fruit and juice. You?"

"Same. Did you notice what Miguel or Tim ate?"

Nathan paused for a minute, searching his head for what he'd seen them eat.

"I saw Miguel eat a chocolate donut. Almost everyone was drinking coffee."

Kristin wrung her hands together as she pondered things. She didn't drink coffee under the best of circumstances. She preferred tea. She knew Nathan wouldn't drink instant coffee under any circumstances, even if he was desperate for it. _It must have been the coffee._ The longer she stood there, the more people became sick. It was like watching a set of dominos being knocked down in slow motion. Kristin wrinkled her nose. The smell in the room was becoming overpowering. Kristin covered her nose with her hand to prevent herself from vomiting from the stench.

"This is bad, Nathan. What are we going to do?" She looked at him feeling desperation sinking deep within her. What was going to happen if they all ended up sick? What was the plan anyways? Did they just poison them all and now they were going to wait until everyone died? Kristin blinked back tears as she heard more people vomiting. She felt her own stomach churning. Maybe she was going to be next. Maybe she was going to start vomiting like everyone else. _Stop panicking, Kristin!_ How would she be of any help if she couldn't keep her wits about her? Her heart was racing in her chest. Suddenly she felt a gentle hand on her arm. She looked up to see Nathan looking at her. His eyes were so kind.

"Calm down, Kris. It stinks in here, I know, but take some deep breaths." Kristin nodded, feeling tears burning in her eyes. Nathan pulled her in close and hugged her. She stiffed at his touch, so badly wanting to melt into his embrace. _Nathan! What if Dosa sees?_ She nervously stole a glimpse in that direction to see Dosa with his eyes closed looking green.

"Lucas needs you, Nathan." She pushed him away. "I'm fine." She heard Nathan sigh as he walked away from her. Kristin put her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. She looked over at Dosa to see him lean over and vomit. _How much worse could things get?_

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan rubbed his hands together as he walked cautiously towards where Lucas was sitting. His hands felt cold. He kept an eye on Dosa as he walked, hoping the action wouldn't draw attention to the boy. He didn't want Dosa to know he was personally involved with the teenager. It would make Lucas even more vulnerable. The kid was already in a perilous position being the youngest in the room. The only hope Nathan had was to appeal to Dosa's emotions regarding his own son. Dosa was feeling regretful. Nathan could see it in his eyes every time he looked over at Lucas. It was an unmistakable wistful look the man had. He seemed to be putting on a brave show but there was hesitation in his actions. Nathan placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder and was rewarded with a small smile.

"Hey, you hanging in there okay?" The boy nodded but Nathan could see the kid was struggling.

"Yah."

"Stitches hurt like hell without freezing, huh?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." _Oh, Kiddo, you don't need to be brave for me. I know they hurt like hell. Everyone in the room was cringing for you._ Nathan winked at him and looked towards Tim and Miguel. Both of them had their heads down. Neither one of them looked very good. _Food poisoning, Sheppard? Really? That's a damned low blow._ Nathan sighed and turned to look at Dosa. Nathan felt his heart rate increase when he saw the man staring at him. _Stay calm. Don't panic him._ Dosa looked pale and extremely tired. Nathan had noticed that he'd been sick a few times as well, but surprisingly, didn't look as bad as the majority of the rest of the room's occupants. Looking at the table in front of him, he picked up the drink pitcher that still had some water in it and poured some in his hands. He saw Lucas staring at him. He winked again. He rubbed the water across his face and into his hair. The water was tepid but felt somewhat refreshing on his face. _I need to look a little less healthy; otherwise, Dosa is going to think I had something to do with this. Damn, Sheppard, you're not making this easy on me._

"White alpha," came a soft whisper. Nathan's heart took a dive. _I know, buddy._ Nathan clenched his jaw tightly. He knew that the teenager was struggling tremendously hard to keep himself together. It was breaking his heart that he couldn't just wrap the kid in a tight embrace. _I'm here, Lucas. I'm going to my best to get us all out of this unscathed, and then I'm going to wrap you in the tightest bear hug you've ever had._ Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. _And after that, I'm going to kick your butt. Why couldn't you have just listened to me?_

"Listen to the doctor, Adam. She's taking good care of you, alright." Nathan said the words loudly, with plenty of encouragement in his voice. He could see Lucas begging him with his eyes. He wasn't entirely sure how to read the look. Guilt? Fear? Desperation? A mixture? _I'm sorry, kiddo, I have to keep my distance for now, for your safety._

"Bridger!" Nathan felt himself startle at the sound of his name. He turned to see Dosa stalk across the room with the vid-link in his hand. Nathan purposely moved away from Lucas towards the centre of the room. The ungodly sight of the bodies piled up mixed with the strong smell of vomit made his stomach churn. He pulled his sleeve down, covering his nose with his hand. Dosa met him where he stood, thrusting the link towards him.

"That gawddamed link device won't work for me. You get me a link out of this room, for Pete's sake. Someone is going to pay for making us sick!" Nathan's hands felt cold and clammy as he looked at Dosa. Perspiration beaded his pale face. Dosa didn't look nearly as ill as some of the hostages, but he had been affected as well.

Nathan took the link and felt his stomach flip and suddenly, he leaned over, emptying his stomach contents onto the floor. _The smell is so overwhelming. We need to find a way to cover up that stench._ Nathan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He knew it was from the overwhelming smell and not from being sick. He felt fine otherwise. But he getting sick was not exactly a bad thing in this moment; it actually worked in his favour, making Dosa less suspicious. The more Nathan thought about the food poisoning, the more he realised it was a cleverly planned tactic. _That's one hell of a good set of intel you've got, Sheppard. I don't know whether to be flattered or slightly creeped out about how much you know about me._

Dosa gave him a hard look. "The UEO is trying to kill us, Bridger. Even _you_ , their golden boy." Dosa looked somewhat surprised by that. " Time is up! I want Abdul released in the next hour, or I'm going to open fire on this whole friggen room."

Nathan took a deep breath, regretting it immediately. His stomach was churning more. He bit his tongue to keep from retching again. He looked at the link and called out. The device rang in his hand over and over.

"What the hell?" The device kept ringing but no answer. _I know you're there, Sheppard. What the hell game are you playing now?_

"Why aren't they answered the blasted thing?"

"I don't know." It was true. Nathan was just as perplexed.

A commotion in the corner captured both their attentions. One of Dosa's mercenaries stood to his feet and belted a hostage that was sitting close by. Nathan and Dosa stood staring. From the corner of his eye, Nathan could see irritation on Dosa's face.

"Cut it out!" shouted Dosa. His man turned to look at him and then opened fire on the table he was standing beside. Five men at the table collapsed to the floor. Nathan's jaw dropped in horror. His immediate thought was Kristin and Lucas. He spun on his heel to see Kristin run towards Lucas and wrap him in her arms, protectively. The teenager had collapsed to his knees and wrapped himself up in tight ball. _How much more can that kid take before he loses his mind completely? This is to too much for a kid. Hell, it's too much for anyone._ More gunshots rang out in the room as he turned to see that Dosa had pointed his weapon across the room and took out his own man. Nathan nervously drew in a long breathe and waited for Dosa to make his next move. He felt his pulse beating fiercely in his chest. Nathan mentally counted the bodies lying on the floor across the room. He felt tears brim his eyes. Six more people had just died for nothing.

"Bridger? It's Sheppard. What the hell is going on in there?"

Nathan looked at the vid-link that had so suddenly sprung to life. He then looked at Dosa who stood frozen, still holding his gun tightly in his hand. So tightly that his fingers were white.

"Where would you like me to start, Commander? Everyone is puking their guts out because you poisoned us. The room reeks of vomit and blood. The doctor stitched up some poor kid with a dirty needle from her purse and thread from a table cloth. Six more people just got shot to death. Do I need to say anymore?" The words came out with a venomous edge to them. Nathan saw Sheppard's face whiten at the run down. _So yah, you son of a bitch, I'm pissed off. I know this isn't your call, and I know none of this isn't your fault but, for the sake of all that is good and holy, get off your asses and do something!_

Nathan saw Dosa drop his hand to his side and look at him. It was a very odd look that Nathan couldn't place. Dosa drew his brows together and walked slowly towards Nathan. He reached his hands out for the vid-link and Nathan handed it to him. Dosa looked down at the unit and spit in it.

"I knew the UEO was zealous, but I didn't realise how deeply entrenched in evil it truly was until now. The fact that you are willing to let your innocent citizens die just to keep Abdul Singh imprisoned is very telling, Commander." Dosa smiled an eerie grin. "I think our little negotiation game is finished, isn't it, Captain." Dosa held the vid-link up so Nathan could see Sheppard's shocked face. He pointed his gun at Nathan and fired.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N Thanks for the reviews and kind thoughts.**_

 _ **Here is another chapter...enjoy! :)**_

Katie sat down beside Mitch quietly. He looked up briefly only to have his face redden slightly as he wiped tears from his face.

"Am I disturbing you?"

Mitch cleared his throat and shook his head. "Um, no…sun is so brilliant today, isn't it?"

Katie nodded. It was a stunning day. Bright sun, no clouds and a warm wind. It was one of those perfect, beautiful days in which wonderful memories were made. One of those days your heart and mind longed for.

"It's lovely, for sure. Working on a submarine makes me appreciate this weather even more."

"Yeah, I can imagine." Katie looked at him, seeing him struggle to gain control of his emotions. A part of her felt the need to look away so he could gain his composure. She realised how much she didn't know about the man. Lucas had seemed quite friendly with him, but it dawned on her how much of a complete stranger he was to her.

"Mitch, I'm very sorry for laying that guilt trip on you."

Mitch put up his hand. "It's fine. You asked me to keep an eye on Lucas, and I let him wander off on his own. It's me who should be apologizing to you." Katie pursed her lips. _No, Mitch. None of that was your fault. You couldn't have known Lucas would take off._

"How long have you known Lucas?"

"I just met him today actually. He's an intriguing young man. He surprised me with how much he knew about science." _Oh, he knows more than you realise._

"Lucas tends to have that effect on people when they meet him." She paused for a moment. "Mitch, it wasn't fair of me to ask you." Katie's eyes glistened. "I was so upset over Ben, I was desperate to know if he was okay and you were there. Lucas seemed so comfortable with you."

"How is your husband?"

"He's my ex, and he's stable, thank God." _Please stay that way, Ben._

Mitch nodded and dropped his eyes for a few moments. "My best friend and colleague, Matt Tucker, is still in that room." Mitch let out a soft chuckle. "He was being such a jerk earlier, teasing me about being late. I got lost getting here." Mitch looked at her, blinking back the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes. "Suddenly, nothing else seems all that important anymore, does it?"

"Don't give up hope."

"Oh, I'm not. You just caught me in a weak moment."

Katie smiled warmly. "Who says tears mean you're weak? It means you're human." Katie saw Mitch nod and wipe at a few more tears lingering on his cheek. It surprised her how drawn she felt to him. Earlier she had been bitterly angry with him and now she could see he was just as much a victim in all this as she was. Having to stand by helplessly and having to wait was almost unbearable.

"Probably the only difference between you and me right now is that I'm used to this kind of thing happening. Only, I'm usually caught in the middle of it with them."

"How does Lucas fit into all this?"

Katie swallowed, this time not being able to prevent the tears from escaping. "He's family…it's hard to explain. Lucas, well…" Katie struggled to find words and her voice caught in her throat. She felt so guilty that she had left him alone when he needed her the most. He'd been scared and so alone. _How could you be so stupid to leave the poor kid by himself?_

"He's a great kid, Commander." Katie smiled through her tears. She knew Mitch felt a connection to Lucas now as well. "How's he connected to all you submariners anyways, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's complicated, but Captain Bridger is his guardian."

Mitch's eyes widened. "No wonder he was freaking out. I wish someone would've told me that in the first place." Anger flashed in Mitch's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mitch. I should have but I was so distraught over Ben."

Mitch waved her words away. "No. No, I understand. I'm not mad at you, Commander. I'm just angry in general. This whole situation is…" Mitch hesitated a moment and seemed to be searching his pocket for something. He sighed.

"Did you lose something?"

"Yes, my phone. I gave it to Lucas to call you, and he never returned it."

"Why didn't he use his own?"

"He connected it somehow to another computer in one of the rooms…I can't even pretend to know what he was doing. At any rate, he asked to use mine so I let him. Things just kept escalating, and I forgot to get it back."

Katie reached into her pocket and pulled hers out, offering it to him. "No one can figure out Lucas when it comes to computers. He can hack into anything. Here, you're welcome to use mine."

"Thanks, but I was going to check my email." Mitch paused a moment. "Wait, let me see that a moment." Mitch took her phone. "Do you have email set up on it?"

Katie nodded.

"Why can't we email Lucas on my phone? The terrorist might not have thought to check if the kid had a phone on him."

Katie felt her heart leap in her chest. Maybe this was a way they could get intel on what exactly was going on in that room. "Do it!" Katie watched as Mitch opened her email program up and quickly sent an email to his phone. "Will it make a noise?"

Mitch shook his head. "No, it's on vibrate. Lucas should feel it vibrate in his pocket, but no one else will notice." Both of them sat quietly waiting. _C'mon, Lucas, let us know you're there._ Katie felt herself holding her breath. Would Lucas even think to check the phone?

"He might not look at it, Mitch. He might think he's prying. He's…" Just as Katie was forming her thoughts, her phone signaled that it had a new email. Mitch handed her back her phone, and her hands trembled as she looked at it. It read: Mitch Brady in the inbox. She quickly clicked on the email to see that Kristin was emailing her back.

"It works, Mitch. We've got to let Sheppard know that we have a way to communicate!" With those words, Katie was on her feet and all but running into the building. Noise from behind her told her that Mitch was close on her heels.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sheppard glanced over the schematics to the Summit room again. His expression hardened as he slammed his fist on the table. The diagrams were so out of date since the renovations were implemented. The room was completely different with a raised stage and podium at the front. The owners of the establishment had yet to get them the updated plans, saying that they had misplaced the blueprints. _Figures! Typical of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing._ Sheppard's heart was still racing in his chest. His hands were shaking as he clutched a pen in his hand. His mind burned with the memory of Bridger being shot. The vid-link had been broken, and he hadn't seen much except the shocked look on Bridger's face when the gun fired. He didn't even know if the man was still alive or how badly wounded he might have been. Dosa had refused to answer the vid-phone any longer. They were completely working blind now.

"According to the Admiral, he was sitting here." Colonel Hitchcock's voice startled him slightly as he forced himself to focus again. He looked at where the man's finger pointed to the stage. The admiral was still sitting white-faced in the room but hadn't said one word since the vid-link ended. All of them were thinking the worst. Captain Nathan Bridger might be dead.

"What's taking so long to find out about that latch?" said Admiral Noyce, finally finding his voice once more.

"My people are working on it, Admiral. The personnel here are iffy on things in that room. They just finished renovating a few days ago, and it seems like most of the staff here just aren't that knowledgeable on the new upgrades." Sheppard studied the schematics more closely, bringing the tip of the pen to his mouth. _Why a latched door? For storage? Sound equipment?_ His phone rang suddenly and he grabbed it on the first ring.

"Sheppard."

"We can't be sure, but the manager says the latch was put in the floor for storage under the stage, sir."

"Any outside access?"

"It's speculated that there's access through the back of the building. I have people checking it out. Want me to inform Tactical?"

"Negative. Get back to me first." Sheppard hung up the phone. He looked at the Admiral.

"It's a storage area under the stage with possible access from outside. My intel is checking it out now."

"A way in?" said the Colonel, a hopeful expression on his face.

"Perhaps, and it's a helluva lot better than trying to get in through the ceiling," said Sheppard, running a hand through his hair. He felt so tired. He glanced at the clock on the wall to see that it was nearing noon now. More than 16 hours had gone by since Dosa penetrated the room. To his calculations, there were still roughly 75 or more hostages inside, four of them SeaQuest crew, five with the Wolenczak kid. He'd all but lost track of how many were dead or injured. _What I wouldn't give for an ice cold beer about now._ They had exhausted their negotiations. If Bridger was injured or dead, negotiations were finished. Tactical was ready to infiltrate.

"Lucas has Mitch's cell on him!" Sheppard felt the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end when Commander Hitchcock burst into the office. She was holding her own cell phone in her hand and was closely followed by the scientist from Berkeley. Sheppard held up his hands to silence her.

"What the hell are you talking about, Commander?"

Katie took a deep breath, still winded from running to the command room. "Mitch lent his cell to Lucas before he took off. He still has the cell. Mitch emailed his phone and Dr. Westphalen replied."

Sheppard sucked in a breath. "Ask her if Bridger is alive?" Sheppard saw the colour drain from the commander's face. He forgot that she hadn't been in the room when the last vid-link had been made. While she obediently emailed the question, Sheppard's vid-phone rang again. Sheppard grabbed it quickly, this time stepping out the door to take the call in private. He opened the link to see Dosa's face.

"Time's up, Commander. Where is my link to Abdul's release?"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

When Nathan opened his eyes, he grimaced at the shooting pain in his shoulder. The first thing he saw when his vision focussed was Kristin's worried expression. He made a move to get up, but she forced him to stay put.

"Lay still, Nathan." Nathan closed his eyes again, groaning at her persistence. His shoulder was killing him, but he wasn't dead. _For heaven's sake, Kristin, just let me sit up already._ He opened his eyes again, and this time he saw Lucas' pale face staring down at him.

"Help me up, kiddo," said Nathan. Lucas made a move to help him, but Kristin stopped him.

"I said lay still!" Her voice was commanding. _Stubborn woman._

Nathan sighed. "Kristin, I'm fine." He took a deep breath and forced himself up to a sitting position. He earned a dirty look from Kristin, but he ignored it. He definitely was in pain but it wasn't intolerable at the moment. If anything, his head ached from hitting the floor when he was thrown backwards from the impact of the bullet hitting him at such a close range. He speculated that he passed out from the blow to the head, rather than the shock of being shot. Nathan looked at his bandaged shoulder with a scowl. Dosa could have killed him at such close range. Why hadn't he?

Nathan leaned against the chair leg wearily and looked around the room, trying to spot the whereabouts of Dosa. From where he was sitting, he couldn't see much. He rose to his feet slowly, feeling his head spinning slightly. He felt Kristin come to his side and force him to sit down.

"You're a stubborn man, Captain." Nathan could hear the frustration in her voice.

"Where's Dosa?"

"He could have killed you, Nathan!"

"How bad is it?"

"Not bad," she admitted. There had to be a reason why Dosa didn't shoot to kill. Nathan's eyes met with Lucas'. The boy looked like he had gained his stability again. He looked very grateful to see Nathan awake.

"I-I thought he killed you."

Nathan placed a warm hand on his cheek. "Nah, only the good die young, kiddo. I'm far too ornery to go yet." Lucas rewarded him with a small smile.

"Nathan, Lucas brought in a cell phone with him. Katie is emailing with us." Nathan's eyes widened at the information. Kristin handed him the cell phone, and he read the emails coming in from Sheppard now. _Unbelievable._

 _"_ Where's Dosa?"

"He ordered his remaining men to drag the rest of the bodies to the middle, and three of them disappeared onto the stage behind the curtain." Kristin nodded in the direction of the gunman who faced the room, looking rather sick. "Dosa left him in charge, but he doesn't look very healthy." The lone man stood by himself watching them all rather despondently. Dosa was missing, as well as two of the other gunman. Nathan surmised they had been ordered to watch the newly discovered back entrance.

"He doesn't look very threatening." Nathan looked at Tim and Miguel who still were sitting with their heads down. "How are those two doing?"

"Not good, Nathan." Kristin looked around the room purposely. "Most of the sick hostages are borderline dehydrated. There isn't anything left for them to drink. Most of the water is gone, and no one wants to risk drinking anything left in those food boxes. We don't know what was poisoned and what wasn't for sure." Nathan handed the cell phone back to her.

"Tell them exactly what's going on in this room." Nathan lowered his voice. "Negotiation is over, Kris." He saw Kristin nod. He knew that she knew as well as he did that the situation was precarious. There was a good reason to believe that none of them were going to survive this. As far as Nathan knew from searching the room, the only access into the room was through the ceiling ventilation system. Dosa had done his research well despite the many surprises thrown at him.

"What are you going to do?"

"Dosa might be done with me, but I'm not finished with him by far."

"Nathan Bridger, he shot you!" The panic in her voice was unmistakable.

"He could have killed me but he didn't. Why is that?" Nathan rose to his feet.

"I don't give a damned why he didn't, Nathan." Nathan could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. He didn't expect her to understand. _I need to handle this, Kris. Trust me on this._

Nathan offered her a warm smile, and then turned to Lucas. "Keep an eye on her, Lucas." He saw the almost imperceptible nod from the teenager. He ruffled the kid's hair. _I love you, kiddo._

As Nathan strode across the room, he made notes about things in his mind. Most of the hostages looked sick, and the ones who weren't sick were quiet and lethargic. Discouragement was radiating in the room. The gunman patrolling the room didn't look much better. _I could take this guy out just by blowing him over. He looks like he's ready to fall over any second._ As Nathan approached him, the man seemed to perk up and pointed his gun at him.

"Back away! What do you want? Didn't Dosa's little gift let you know he was finished negotiating?" Nathan felt his shoulder throbbing. He didn't need the reminder that Dosa had shot him.

"Where's Dosa? I want to talk to him."

The man stood to his feet and moved threateningly towards him. Nathan took a few steps back and placed a chair in front of him. The man leered at him but as he moved, he tripped and stumbled. Nathan heaved the chair at him as he struggled to gain his footing. A hostage from the table behind him had the presence of mind to help and between the both of them, they managed to subdue the gunman. The man lay on the floor, staring up at them while Nathan covered his mouth. The other man held the gunman's weapon on him.

"Not one word," warned Nathan. Nathan could hear his heart beating in his own ears. Would Dosa have heard that commotion? He glanced around the room as he flipped the gunman over with his one hand, sitting on him and pulling the man's hands behind his back. _Ugh, my shoulder hurts like hell._ Nathan bit his tongue as he struggled to keep the man's hands behind his back. If the man fought him too much, Nathan felt like he would lose the upper hand. Almost as if the other man could hear his thoughts, the guy lurched forward and bashed the gunman hard in the back of the head with the end of the gun. The man stopped struggling and went limp. Nathan looked at the other man still holding the gun with sincere appreciation. The dark-haired young man managed a weak smile and handed the weapon to Nathan. Nathan accepted the weapon and tucked it into the waist band of his pants

"Good thinking on your feet," said Nathan, tying the gunman's hands together with the belt from his pants.

"Dosa is on stage. I thought you were a dead man when he shot you at such close range." Nathan stood up, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.

"So did I. Thanks for your help." The younger man nodded. Nathan sighed, looking down at the unconscious mercenary. He needed to get the guy out of sight for now. Nathan reached down and grabbed the man by his feet.

"We need to get him out of sight. Help me move him." Nathan and the other hostage managed to drag him over to where the other bodies were piled. Nathan chewed his lip for a second before ripping a long strip off a table cloth. He reached down and gagged the unconscious man. He hoped it would keep him out of the picture for a while. Nathan groaned as his shoulder gnawed at him painfully. He glanced at the white material that Kristin had made into a make-shift bandage; it was stained crimson red from his blood. He gasped louder than he meant to and the noise brought Kristin to his side once again. Her eyes widened when she realised what had happened. She placed a firm hand on his shoulder, putting pressure on the wound and causing him to wince.

"It took me a long time to get the bleeding to stop last time, Nathan. You reopened the wound." Her voice sounded frustrated. "I can't stitch you with the bullet still firmly lodged in there, and I can't take it out under these circumstances. Please, you need to rest." Nathan shook his head. With his free hand, he reached into his waistband and grabbed the gun. He pressed it into Kristin's free hand.

"Do you know how to use it?" Kristin's eyes were wide with shock and horror. The gun wasn't a simple run of the mill weapon. She may not have even seen one like it before. Just because she worked on a military vessel didn't mean she would know anything about weaponry. _The scientists on my boat are going to take some courses in this if we ever get out of here. Some self-defence courses wouldn't be a bad idea either._ Kristin's eyes remained transfixed on the gun.

He shook her. "Do you?"

"N-no."

Nathan took the gun and showed her how to use it. He saw her hands shaking and her lips trembling. "Don't hesitate to use it if you need to, understand?" He saw her nod. Her face was white. He knew she was used to saving lives, not taking them. Shooting firearms wasn't exactly on her resume.

"Look, tell Sheppard that he needs to get Tactical to move now." Nathan saw her hesitate and he shook her again. "Go now!"

"What are you going to do, Nathan?" Her lips trembled.

"I'm the negotiator, Kris. I'm going to keep doing my job. Now go!"

Nathan took a deep breath and headed towards the stage area. He needed to keep Dosa and his other men occupied. He turned to see Kristin standing beside Tim and Miguel. She looked up at him with her face ashen. He could see her mouthing one word. Lucas. Nathan's eyes frantically scanned the room, but he couldn't see the kid anywhere. He felt his heart beating anxiously in his chest. Lucas had disappeared.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N Thanks for reading along. I always enjoy your comments, insights and reviews into the story.**_

 _ **Reviews are my only payment:)**_

 _ **I'm self-motivated enough to finish a story once I start but often comments have the power to switch my directions a bit *wink***_

 _ **Just a note to say that I plan to change the title of this story. I just wanted to warn you so you didn't get confused.**_

 _ **The new title will be "STALLING FOR TIME"**_

Sheppard cleared his throat discreetly and waved his arm in the air as he walked back into the command room. If there was any time that he needed quiet, it was now. Immediately the room fell silent. He positioned himself in such a way that Dosa couldn't see anything posted on the walls, nor would he be able to see the other occupants of the room. Sheppard motioned to Colonel Hitchcock with his eyes. He needed a pad of paper to communicate with them.

"Tell me if Bridger is still alive," said Sheppard. He knew that the captain was alive from the email from the CMO, but he wanted to play the game well. Dosa would have no clue that he was communicating with the hostages. Dosa was expecting the question.

"Where's my link?" Dosa's face lacked emotion. His face was pale but for the most part, the man didn't look sick at all. He didn't seem to be that badly affected by the drugs in the food.

"Come now, Mr. Dosa. You know how to play the game by now. The usual deal is quid pro quo. We give you something tangible in exchange for something worthwhile to us." Sheppard saw the colonel cringe at his words. _Colonel, the man isn't stupid. He knows the game. This isn't his first parade. We're not fooling him._ Dosa's face remained unchanged except Sheppard did see a flicker of something in his eye. Confusion? Uncertainty? Sheppard couldn't quite place the look.

"Don't worry, Commander. You're flagship's captain is still alive. He lives because I like him. I have reached the end of my patience. I want to see the live feed of Abdul Singh's release. Where is it?"

"I've been told they are still working on his release."

Dosa's face reddened but he remained quiet for a few minutes. Sheppard motioned at Commander Hitchcock to hold the vid-link for him. He positioned it in a certain position and held her hands firmly for a few seconds. _Don't move it, Commander. Keep it at that exact spot._ He reached for the pad of paper, never taking his eyes off Dosa. He needed to keep his eye contact. He jotted a few sentences on the paper without looking down and slid them towards the Colonel. He saw the man nod as he exited the room. Intel needed to be kept up to speed on all events in the room.

"Any thoughts on how you would like to get out when Abdul is released?" asked Sheppard, keeping his voice friendly. He hadn't had much of an opportunity to establish a rapport with the man. He would need to double his effort to gain that before he lost the chance. Dosa shook his head and laughed. It came out more like a snort but the message was clear. Dosa wasn't planning on getting out alive. Sheppard knew from the beginning that it was a huge possibility, but he always wanted to do his best to achieve a better outcome.

"You and I both know this isn't going to end well."

"Why is that? Do you plan to hurt yourself?"

Dosa scoffed, the vid-camera shaking in his hand. "I'm not going to kill myself." His voice became more intense. "You're going to have to kill me."

"We're not going to do that. There's no reason to do that."

Dosa rolled his eyes. "I've given you more than one reason to want to kill me, Commander. I will kill the captain and that kid last. You're going to have to kill me after I'm finished." Sheppard's heart sank. He was trying to hold out hope that he would be able to reason and negotiate to get more people out. Dosa's increasingly angry tone, and the fact that Bridger had already been negotiating with the man for hours, demonstrating a desire to help him, was giving Sheppard cause for great concern. Time was slipping away faster than sand in an hourglass. Dosa was continuing to work himself up into a frenzy, becoming more and more unpredictable.

"Let the boy go," said Sheppard. He reached out and pulled Commander Hitchcock's hands back up as he noticed them lowering ever so slightly. He stared at Brady with and motioned at him with his eyes. The commander needed help to keep her hands steady. Mitch Brady understood immediately, and he put his hands over the commanders firmly. Sheppard kept jotting down thoughts and information without looking down at his work.

"I thought this was a game of quid pro quo, Commander. What do I get?"

"A safe way out." Sheppard saw a spark of hope flash in the man's eyes. It was for exactly a nanosecond, but it had been there. _He doesn't really want to die._

"You haven't ever shown any interest in getting out, have you, Mr. Dosa? I think you gave up hope that it was possible. You do realise this is something I could work on for you. I don't have the authority myself, but I could get on the phone and talk to my boss to get his approval." Dosa's eyes flashed hope once again and the look lingered longer.

"How?"

"Well, how do you think it would be best for you?" Sheppard continued writing as he looked at Dosa closely. He was writing down everything he saw in the man's face, noting his body language and everything else, including the background around the man. _He wasn't in the Summit room anymore. He's out of that area? Where is he? On the stage area? Is that a fabric curtain I see behind him?_ Sheppard saw the fatigued look on the commander as she remained steadfast, holding the vid-link. Even with Brady helping her, her arms were giving out. He reached out and retrieved the communication device to alleviate the strain on her.

"What about a helicopter for me and my men?"

"I'll speak to my supervisors and see what I can get for you. Can you promise to release the kid if I can get you that 'copter?"

"You get me that footage of Singh's release and then we'll talk more." Sheppard nodded his agreement. He had given the perpetrator some hope and in doing so, he'd also given the man a fresh look on his face. Sheppard could see a renewed spirit in the man's eyes.

"Give me an hour, and I will call you back." Dosa let out a harsh breath and nodded. Seconds later, the vid-link ended.

Sheppard set the device down and leaned against the table. He felt like his head would explode. He stared at the pad of paper and his chicken scratches that he had written. He'd filled probably 10 pages in the time he was speaking to Dosa. He twisted the wedding ring on his finger and looked up at Commander Hitchcock and Brady. Both of them looked at him quietly. _Both of them think I have lost my mind. Maybe I have._ He took a deep breath and picked up his cell phone on the desk. It was time to share his plan with his boss. His plan was crazy and extremely rare in the negotiation business. His supervisors weren't going to go for it unless he could convince them beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was no other recourse.

"Are you insane?" said Commander Hitchcock, suddenly breaking the silence. He had expected it. He was actually surprised it had taken that long. "You're going to give him a helicopter."

Sheppard shook his head. "There is no other way to get in that room, Commander. The back entrance will be covered by Dosa. The front entrance is obviously not an option. The ceiling ventilation system gives them too much time to open fire…"

"Why not the front entrance?" countered Commander Hitchcock. "Westphalen said the lone gunman in the room has been taken down."

"Commander, I can't trust the intel of any hostages in that room! How do I know if that cell phone has been compromised and we're being fed a line?" Sheppard saw the young woman blink several times. He knew that she knew he was right.

"What about the latch in the stage that the Admiral told you about?" asked Brady.

"The outside access isn't completed yet."

"So you're going to give him a helicopter so he can fly off and do this all over again…"said Katie, obvious disbelief in her voice.

Sheppard shook his head again. "I sent your father with a message to give SWAT. It's simple, Commander. We can't get inside, so Dosa is going to need to come out. First chance we get, we take him out." Sheppard saw her eyes widen in understanding. This was an explosive situation and mollification had just about run its course. Sheppard saw no other way to proceed. "We prepare to have a sniper take him out as he leaves the building."

"And the hostages?" said the commander, her eyes tearing up, almost as if she was afraid of the answer being what she thought.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Commander. I don't know. All I can do is negotiate with him and hope he leaves them behind alive."

Brady snorted. "I'm not even in the military, Commander, and I know that's bogus. He's not going to leave behind witnesses. And any still alive, he's going to use as human shields. You won't be able to get a clear shot. My bet is he's going to use that young kid for his bullet proof vest."

Sheppard slammed his fist on the desk. "Enough! I don't have all the answers, damn it. I'm not God. I don't know how this will play out, but this is the best I can come up with! Now if you will both excuse me, I need to call my supervisors and do this all over again with them." Sheppard glared at them both. "Get the hell out!" Sheppard felt his hand shaking as he pointed at the door. The commander and the scientist bid a hasty retreat, and Sheppard paid them by slamming the door.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas managed to stumble silently to the steps inside the doorway of the stage. His leg ached something fierce. He felt ashamed that he'd reacted so angrily towards the doctor, but he was pretty sure he hadn't felt so much intense pain all at once until she stitched him. She'd stitched his cheek before but he hadn't felt a thing because of the freezing. He remembered even joking about wanting a scar. There was no way he really wanted one. As it is, he felt like he'd never be able to wear shorts again on the beach. Not that it mattered all that much, considering he almost never chose to spend his leave on the beach anyways. But still, one day he might and he didn't exactly want to scare girls away in droves. Lucas grimaced as he looked down at his torn jeans and the nasty gash in his leg. How could he be so stupid to trip like some kind of clumsy ninja in a video game? Lucas sighed and continued making his way in the doorway and up the stairs. He'd seen the captain and another man subdue the gunman in the room and figured it was his best chance to sneak back onto the stage area. He purposely left Mitch's phone on the table. Dr. Westphalen would be able to keep communicating with Sheppard while he did his best to hack into the network. The control panel at the back of stage would give him access to the most of the room. When he hacked into the room and looked at the access panel, he pretty much knew he could control everything in the room including the sprinklers in the ceiling, air-conditioning, heat, and lighting. Heck, he could even flood the floors. That was a new one on him but apparently a faster way to mop down the room.

As he made his way up the stairs, he heard voices coming from ahead of him. He couldn't see anything, but the thick fabric of the stage curtains. Dosa's voice sounded threatening and ominous as he angrily conversed with someone. Lucas couldn't be sure if it was one of his men or perhaps the man was speaking with Sheppard. Lucas carefully peered around the curtain to see Dosa shouting into his hand held unit. _Sheppard must be aggravating the crap out of him._ Lucas scanned the platform of the stage. One gunman leaned against the wall by the back entrance. _Arg, he's right beside the door. Ugh, how can I get him away from that access panel?_ Lucas pressed his lips together firmly as he leaned against the wall on the stairs. A sound behind him caused him to freeze. _Who was coming? Did the other gunman escape the captain?_ Lucas felt his heart leap into his throat. His eyes scanned his options. There was no place to hide or escape without alerting the other men on the stage. He was trapped. Lucas clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, expecting the worst as he saw a shadow coming around the corner of the stage.

"Lucas?" Lucas heaved a sigh of relief when he saw it was Captain Bridger. However after several moments and getting a good look at the man's face, part of him tensed up again. Captain Bridger looked furious with him.

"Get out of here now!" The elder man's voice was so soft that Lucas could hardly hear it, but he could read his lips loud and clear.

Lucas shook his head. "There is an access panel back there, Captain." The captain came up close to him and placed a firm hand over his mouth. The look in his eyes was clear. _Yah, yah, shut up and listen, Lucas. I get it. But you need to listen to me too, Captain. I have a plan, and it might just work if you will just stop treating me like some dumb kid._

"I want you to go back to Kristin now. She is giving tactical the heads up. I want you out!" The captain gripped his face in his hands firmly. Lucas shook his head again causing the man to shake him in frustration.

"There is an access panel. If you distract Dosa, I can…"

The captain shook him again. "NO!" Lucas bit his lip. _Why won't you listen to me?_ "For Pete's sake, this isn't a game, Lucas." _Seriously? You think i don't know that?_ The captain's voice was so low that Lucas had to strain to hear it. "Go back, right now." He shook him again for emphasis. Lucas sighed. There was no way he was going to be able to convince the captain that he could help. Lucas dropped his shoulders in acquiescence. Lucas could see the captain relax somewhat as the man noticed he was seemingly giving in. _I won't win an argument with you but once you're out of view, captain, I'm still going to get to that access panel._ Lucas made his mind up.

The captain put a warm hand on his cheek and patted him gently. "Help get Kristin out safely for me, kiddo." Lucas nodded and turned to head back to the room. He turned to see the captain watching him leave the stairway. _Figures, he's watching me._ Lucas kept walking until he was out into the main room again. He could see hostages walking more freely around the room. Dr. Westphalen and several of the healthy men were attempting to keep order in the room. His eyes met hers briefly, and he could see her eyes flash with anger. _Great, both of them are mad at me now._ Lucas dropped his gaze and turned to look back at the stairway. He leaned against the wall knowing that Dr. Westphalen was on her way across the room. _One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand._ He counted in his head how long it would take for the woman to reach his side. He needed to face her and let her unload before he would be able to escape again. When he looked up again, his speculations served him correctly, and Dr. Westphalen had reached his side.

"Captain Bridger is on the stage. He's going to talk to Dosa again, and he wants me to help you get everyone out. Is Sheppard getting tactical in?" Lucas bit his lip as his eyes met hers up close, hoping his words would distract her from anything else she wanted to say to him.

"Where did you go?" Lucas blinked at the sternness in her voice. His attempt to distract her had failed.

"I…I was…there is…" Lucas stumbled over his words as he stared at her face. He could see a whole range of emotions dancing in her eyes. She had been genuinely frightened. And now she was mad. Lucas felt his heart pinch inside him. He wasn't used to people caring about him so much. It always surprised him when he saw worried expressions of concern of people's faces when it came to him.

Dr. Westphalen put her hands on his shoulders and shook him firmly. "Don't take off like that again, Lucas! I mean it. You frightened me half to death, and I'm already scared enough." Lucas dropped his chin, feeling his face redden. He hadn't intended to make her worry. _I can help with that panel…I can take out the lights and set off the sprinklers. Those types of distractions could give the captain the edge he needs to get the upper hand._

"I'm sorry." Lucas mumbled a few other words of apology but he felt pretty certain that she wasn't listening anyways. Her eyes were on the room and the front entrance.

"Did Sheppard get your message?"

Dr. Westphalen nodded. She reached out and caressed his cheek gently. "I was so afraid for you, Lucas." Lucas saw her eyes glisten with tears. Guilt pricked at him further causing his own eyes to mist up as well. _You're such an idiot, Lucas. All you do is screw things up._

"I'm sorry," he said again. He didn't know how else to appease her. He saw her fiddle with the button on the pocket of his shirt. She looked into his eyes intensely.

"You're not just some kid to me, Lucas. You're like my own." The words were said very softly but they echoed in his head. _Like my own. LIKE HER OWN? Like her own son?_ Lucas swallowed a lump in his throat. He wasn't used to feeling these kind of emotions.

"Do you think they're gonna come in the front entrance now that we got rid of that gunman?"

"I don't know. I can't even begin to speculate anything right now." She tucked her hair behind her ears as she looked at the front entrance again. Lucas just stood watching her.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan crept up the stairs as quietly as he could. His shoulder was throbbing and pulsating under the bandage. He knew he had aggravated the injury further, and it hurt like hell. He could hear Dosa speaking. He could also see one gunman guarding the back entrance, but he couldn't see the other man. It didn't make him feel very secure in his movements. The last thing he wanted to do was sneak up on anyone and end up getting shot again. Nathan stopped and leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. His heart was still racing as he thought about Lucas. His mind was in a tug-o-war over being grateful he'd caught the kid before he got in over his head and wanting to shake the living snot out of him. What on earth could have processed the youth to take off like that? What would make him think he could do anything useful to help without working with people on the outside? All he would do is make things more complicated or even worse, get himself killed. Nathan buried his hand in his hair and raked his fingers through it as he sighed. Sometimes being Lucas's guardian made life complicated. He loved the boy with his whole heart; there was no doubt about that, but sometimes, the boy just made life more problematic. _Most recently, I have this unrelenting urge to shake you._ Nathan grimaced at his own thoughts. _Good grief, Nathan; the kid can't help being who he is. Give him a break. Lucas just does these things inadvertently. He always means well._ Nathan sighed again, forcing himself to focus. He needed to keep his mind on the present and worry about dealing with Lucas later. If there was a later. Nathan continued making his way further towards Dosa. The man had stopped speaking.

Nathan licked his lips. "Mr. Dosa? May I speak with you?" Nathan felt his heart in his throat as he waited for a response. The man would either react negatively or not. There was no point in delaying. Nathan needed to continue negotiation. Even if Dosa had given up on him, Nathan had not yet given up on the task. The fabric of the stage curtain moved suddenly and Dosa's face appeared. Nathan was relieved to see that it wasn't anger he saw on the man's face. In fact, for the first time since Nathan had been speaking with him, he saw a glimpse of hope. Dosa stepped out into the open and pointed his weapon at him. The gesture didn't feel threatening which struck Nathan as odd. Instead, it more like he was bidding Nathan to come closer to him.

"Good to see you standing on your feet, Captain."

Nathan nodded.

"I needed to make a statement to your commander. I hope you understand."

Nathan nodded again. He was searching his mind for something to say to begin a conversation. But the look on Dosa's face was perplexing him.

"My statement worked better than I thought."

"How so?"

"He said if I release the kid, he would get me a helicopter upon Abdul's release." Nathan willed himself to keep his facial expressions neutral. It wasn't completely unheard of to promise escape to a perpetrator, but it was rare. Nathan blinked as he exhaled a soft breath. _I know what that look is now. Hope for a future after this. The man has grasped at some hope that he'll get out of this unscathed, and he's convinced himself that it's possible despite all that he's done. He's delusional._ Nathan allowed a small smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. He could work at solidifying that, making the hope seem even more plausible.

"That's wonderful. Sheppard is a man of his word. If he says it's possible, he will do it."

Dosa looked at him. "He said he had to talk to his overseers first."

"That's just what he has to say. Sheppard can convince someone to buy swamp land in Florida. He's that good." _Nathan bit his tongue at his own words. Careful Nathan, don't give the impression that Sheppard is in control completely. He needs all the time he can get._

"He's got supervisors, Bridger. We all have to answer to someone."

"Very true."

"Who do you answer to, Bridger?"

"It used to be my wife."

Dosa smiled. "And now?"

"I guess as much I don't like it, to myself." Dosa looked at him briefly and nodded. For a moment, Nathan thought that he might have made another connection with the man.

Dosa turned to his man. "Keep watch on that door. I'm taking Bridger back to the room."

Nathan clenched his jaw, almost gritting his teeth. He didn't know how it was going to play out when Dosa returned to the room to see his man missing. Dosa pointed his gun towards the doorway.

"After you, Captain. I would like to have a little chat with that kid. He's my ticket out of this place, and I want him to know the rules." Nathan sucked in a breath, silently cursing that Lucas had put himself in such danger. He turned his back on the man and began walking into the room. He did his best to make a lot of noise to let the other hostages in the room know he was coming.

"He's a teenager, Mr. Dosa. They don't listen to rules." Nathan made his voice loud, and it echoed in the stair well. He could only hope the volume of his voice would carry into the room giving people time to resume positions, as to not draw attention to themselves.

"Oh, he will listen to me, Bridger. You forget; I'm not soft like you. In my house, I am the parent and my son is the child. If he doesn't obey, I don't hesitate to show him who's the boss. If this kid can't obey my rules, I will give him a lesson in obedience that he won't soon forget." Nathan gasped in spite of himself causing Dosa to poke him in the back with his gun. Nathan turned to see the man smirking at him.

"Don't worry, Captain. It will hurt me far worse than it will hurt him."

Nathan inhaled a deep breath and continued walking. He was at a loss for words after hearing that. He had no idea what the man meant, but his heart was leaping in his chest in trepidation. This new-found hope that Dosa had was making him seem more confident and much more dangerous.


	16. Chapter 16

Sam Sheppard shuffled through the papers that Colonel Hitchcock had handed him. He shook his head, and then shuffled through them again. Just useless material that he already knew that SWAT had sent him in exchange for his detailed information. Probably one of the most frustrating things about hostage negotiation was working with middle men. He often never even met members of the tactical unit until after the skirmish was over. However out of the ordinary this situation was, it wasn't completely out of the norm for him. Whenever he was called into a hostage crisis, he was usually blind to what tactical had in the works. He was expected to inform them of every detail, but the favour was never returned. He simply didn't need to know. It was better he didn't know. He understood why, especially considering current video technology. If he gave away even a hint of what tactical was planning, it could blow the whole operation and possibly cost people their lives. But that didn't mean it didn't frustrate the hell out of him. Plus after 20 hours on his feet, he was reaching his breaking point. Another four hours or so and he would need be replaced. He hated to admit that, and realistically speaking, after that point, more often than not, negotiation almost always broke down if the main negotiator left. It took too long to re-establish a rapport with the hostage-taker. Starting over again was next to impossible. The perpetrator was way past negotiating.

"Getting slap-happy yet?" asked the Colonel. Sheppard looked at the man. He was trying to decide if the man was joking or not. He was going to go with it.

"Not yet, but if I start laughing hysterically, you have my permission to relieve me of duty," said Sheppard, stretching his back out and walking across the room to pour himself another mug of coffee.

"I'll remember that." A small smile tugged at the Colonel's mouth, as he nursed his own mug. _Joking is a good way to alleviate tension._

"Would you believe that I hate coffee and never drink it unless I'm negotiating?" _Not kidding. Hate the brown bitter-tasting liquid. It reminds me of death._

"Somehow I believe that. I've noticed that most people around here are surviving on caffeine. The paramedic outside offered me an IV."

Sheppard laughed, choking on his mouthful of coffee. "You're a funny man," he said allowing sarcasm to drip freely.

He saw the Colonel smirk and shake his head.

"You must be happy your kid isn't in there."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but I'm used to Katie being caught up in dangerous situations. Military life is the norm for my family."

"My kids aren't even in middle school yet. I kinda like knowing where they're at and that they're safe. I'm not sure I want any of my kids joining the military."

"Truthfully, I didn't either, but it is what it is, Commander. You can't live your kids' lives for them, you know?"

"True enough." Sheppard sat down, fatigue washing over him like a wave. "So who is overseeing Tactical?" _Might as well know who I'm dealing with since I have a feeling everything is about to go to hell in a hand basket._

"Guy by the name of Murphy."

Sheppard raised a brow. "Ken Murphy is my guess. He's good; I worked with him one other time."

The colonel scratched his head. "Not gonna lie to ya, Sheppard. Things are ramping up out there. It's been a long time since I've seen so many geared up men. They have snipers assuming the optimum positions, men with Colt M16A2's, M14 rifles, Remington 700P's and .50 caliber sniper rifles."

".50 caliber?" Sheppard felt his heart rate pick up. He knew things were getting intense but that kind of weaponry signaled just how desperate things were truely getting.

"What have you found out about the terrorist?"

Sheppard stood and wandered over to his desk, picking up some notes. "He's married with four kids. Mid-thirties. His brother was killed in the show down at UEO headquarters a couple of weeks ago."

The colonel shook his head with a grim look on his face. "Something tells me this guy didn't just get up yesterday morning planning to kill people and die in a hailstorm of bullets. He's a family man."

"He's done his homework well. He's a puppet, Hitchcock…excuse me, Colonel."

"Call me Rick."

"Rick." Sheppard smiled at how easily the Colonel offered friendship. It was easy to become quick friends under these circumstances, and the Colonel had been worth his weight in gold over the last 12 hours. Sheppard appreciated the man's cool head and quick thinking. _Who am I kidding? I'm glad for the company. Someone level-headed to talk to._

"Dosa is clearly focussed on getting his demands met. He was chosen to be the martyr. I just don't think the realization of what he's been sent to do has fully sunk in."

"And you're giving him an illusion of freedom?"

"Pretty much. Most hostage takers want to live; even the ones hell-bent on self-destruction are, at most, ambivalent. It's that doubt that serves as the access point to insert the wedge of negotiation. Dosa isn't suicidal. He said so himself."

"He expects to die by the hands of the police."

"Yeah, but I planted a few seeds of hope that he hadn't expected. Negotiation is stalling for time. It can be a complex and timely process to move the hostage-taker to the point where he realises that he won't achieve his goals. It's been 20 hours, and he hasn't seen Singh released. He's all but stopped asking. He's wearing down."

"He hasn't stopped killing, Commander."

Sheppard nodded. "No, but he didn't kill Bridger because he said he liked him. I have to admit that shocked me. Bridger has managed to strike up a powerful relationship with the man. I have to say that in all my years, I haven't seen that. Never before have I seen a successful two-man negotiation. Bridger still has power in that room. The question is does he know it?"

Sheppard traced his finger over the blueprints on the wall. He closed his eyes and tried to picture what the room looked like in his mind. At this point, he could only guess where the gunmen and the terrorist were located. Sheppard was still waiting to hear from his supervisor regarding his idea to get Dosa out of the room. The CMO was freely emailing him as well. He just didn't trust that the cell phone hadn't been compromised.

The command room phone rang loudly, and Sheppard grabbed it on the third ring.

"Sheppard."

"Twenty minutes to the up-link."

"Roger that." Sheppard hung up the phone. He chewed his lip for a moment, lost in thought. Would the video link be enough to persuade Dosa to release the boy? Getting that kid out was his first and foremost priority. He looked at Rick who was glancing at him quietly.

"Commander?"

"They have provided me with the link of Abdul's release. It will be ready to link to Dosa in twenty minutes." Sheppard sunk into the chair beside him.

Rick Hitchcock's face radiated complete surprise. "They released him?"

"No, they re-enacted it." Sheppard leaned his head back against the wall. Fatigue was assaulting him much more quickly than he wanted to admit. He reached up and slapped at his cheeks in irritation. He didn't have time to rest right now. He needed to stay focussed.

"Hand me my coffee, would ya?"

Rick grabbed a blanket off the chair beside him. "I have a better idea, Commander." He handed the blanket to Sheppard. "Twenty minutes or two hours isn't going to make a hell of difference now. Get some sleep. I'll wake you up if Dosa calls you or if anything else important happens."

Sheppard shook his head to protest, but Rick stood his ground. "Don't argue, Sam." Sheppard was surprised by the authoritative kindness in the older man's voice. He had proven to be a useful asset to him. He was grateful the retired air force colonel had stuck around. His expertise was insurmountable. _When this is all over, I wanna know why you retired from the Air Force so young, Colonel._

"I've watched you since this whole altercation began, Commander," said Rick. "You're a formidable and benignant leader. Bridger needs you in his corner. But if you're gonna continue to be any good to him or anyone else, you need to get some shut eye." Sheppard sighed and nodded. He knew the Colonel was right. He relaxed into the chair and closed his eyes. It didn't take long before the room faded out of his consciousness.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan blinked his eyes when he entered the brightness of the conference room. The lightening on the stage had been much dimmer. His eyes frantically searched the room, taking in how people were situated, especially Kristin and Lucas. Everyone was sitting down which made Nathan sigh in relief. It didn't surprise him to see Kristin working tirelessly helping the sick. In this case, she was leaning over Dosa's wounded gunman, Tarek, helping him take a drink. The man didn't look so good. _You never fail to amaze me how self-less you are, Kristin. You would give the shirt off your back to help another human being without so much as blinking an eye._ Nathan felt the man's pain, as his own shoulder throbbed from the gunshot. If he was to be honest, he was feeling rather weak in the knees from the wound. He just wouldn't admit it to Kristin, and frankly, he didn't want to dwell on it too much. He knew injuries to the shoulder could be bad depending on how the bullet entered the body. Nathan closed his eyes for a second and tried to clear his mind of the negative thoughts. When he opened his eyes, he glanced towards Tim and Miguel and was pleased to see were sitting up. Lucas was helping them drink some water. _I'm surprised there is anything left to drink. Probably one of best things about these conferences is how adept the wait staff is at filling glasses and pitchers with water throughout the night. In this case, it might be the very thing that saves people's lives._ Nothing else in the room looked too much out of the ordinary since he'd left, except Dosa's man was missing from his station. Most of the hostages were sitting at tables quietly, either with their heads on the table or attending to those whose heads were down. Nathan turned to see Dosa scanning the room as well. Was that panic on the man's face? It didn't take long for the man's face to darken when he realised that the guy was missing. Dosa groaned and gave Nathan a hard shove, nearly causing him to lose his footing.

"Saleem!" Dosa pointed his weapon at Nathan and shouted out his man's name again. "Saleem! Get over here!" From the corner of his eye, Nathan saw another man appear on the stage. _Where did you come from?_ That was the missing man from the stage. He hadn't seen him when he was on the stage with Dosa.

"Yah?"

"Where's Zain?"

"Supposed to be guarding that room!" said the gunman. The man jumped from the edge of the stage and landed on his feet, walking towards them.

Nathan swallowed, fearing the worst. He stood still watching helplessly while the gunman called Saleem travelled around the room yelling and randomly smacking hostages asking where the other gunman was. As Nathan figured, it didn't take long for the missing man to be found. One of the sick and weak hostages pointed him out after Saleem callously punched him in the face. Nathan inwardly groaned. He had hoped that taking that man out would have given Tactical time to infiltrate the room. He felt sick as he watched Saleem find the missing mercenary, still unconscious and tied up.

Dosa shoved Nathan towards the lifeless man, angrily.

"What's the meaning of this? Who did this?"

Nathan saw Kristin rush quickly towards the newly injured man, whom Saleem had punched. The man's nose looked broken. Kristin went right to work applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

Dosa shoved his gun further into Nathan's side. "Who did this, Bridger?"

"I was on the stage with you."

Dosa glared at him in anger as he glanced around the room.

"Untie him!"

Nathan nodded and reached down to untie the unconscious man. The man did not move and still appeared to be knocked out. He removed the gag from his mouth and said a short prayer that the guy would remain unconscious.

"Doctor, get over here and check out this man!"

Nathan saw Kristin look over her shoulder, but she didn't move. She continued to apply first aid to the injured hostage. _For crying out loud, Kristin, don't egg the man on. Get over here._ Dosa cursed loudly when Kristin didn't move.

"Saleem, bring that bitch here."

Nathan watched helplessly as Saleem grabbed Kristin roughly by the arm and all but dragged her across the room where he and Dosa stood. Before Nathan could blink, Dosa swung his arm, smacking Kristin across the face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lucas' jaw drop in horror. _Don't move, kiddo. Let me handle this._

"Was it necessary to hit her?" asked Nathan.

Dosa squint an eye at him. "You might approve of your women ignoring you, Bridger, but I do not." Dosa glared at Kristin and grasped her arm tightly. He shook her harshly and shoved her to the ground. "Don't ignore me when I call you!" He backhanded her with a sharp blow that made Nathan wince. He bit his lip to not retaliate. _Stay calm…don't do anything stupid._

Kristin caught herself with her hands before falling backwards. She glared at him but remained quiet. Nathan held his breath hoping she wouldn't try and fight back. Dosa seemed to be stuck on obedience from her.

"Is he okay?"

Kristin made a weak attempt to look at Zain who lay lifeless on the floor. "He's unconscious," she said. Her voice was very low.

"What happened?" Dosa glared at her.

"I was helping the sick. I didn't see what happened."

Dosa's face turned red. Nathan gasped as more blows assaulted Kristin's face. He felt his hands ball up into fists. As he made a move, he felt something supernatural pull his arm back. _Don't do it! You will lose all the credibility you have with him. Everyone in this room needs you to keep things under control._

"She's telling the truth!" insisted Nathan, suddenly, reaching out to stop Dosa but with a gentle hand. "She is hard of hearing. If she can't see your lips, she won't hear you. She wouldn't have heard any altercations in this room if she was busy nursing people."

Dosa's hand stopped in midair. He glared at him with uncertainty. _C'mon, I haven't lied to you that you are aware of, man. Take the bait, and stop hitting her!_ Nathan cast a sympathetic glance at Kristin. His heart pinched as he saw her bloody lip, and her face was beginning to bruise around her eyes. Tears were glistening on her cheeks. She seemed to begging him to help her with her eyes. _Oh, Kris, I want to choke the life out of this imbecile. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me._

Dosa grabbed a handful of Kristin's hair and yanked her head back so she could read his lips.

"What the hell happened to my man?"

Nathan sucked in a breath as he waited to see what Kristin would say.

"I-I don't know. I'm sorry, please believe me. I didn't see what happened."

"I don't believe you!" He shook her harshly. Another slap landed across her face. Nathan cringed. He wasn't sure if he could control himself any longer.

Dosa raised his hand again but stopped as something caught his eye. Nathan followed Dosa's line of vision, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw Lucas barrel across the room at full speed.

"Lucas!" Nathan gasped before he could stop himself. Nathan jumped forward quickly and caught the boy in his arms as Dosa stood there staring at them both. He released Kristin, and she stumbled to the floor.

"Lucas? I thought his name was Adam." _Damn it, Nathan! How could you be so stupid!_

Dosa furrowed his brow in confusion. Nathan held Lucas by the arm tightly. The boy's face was red with anger, and he was struggling to get free of Nathan's tight grip.

"Let me go!" Lucas tried to pull away, but Nathan held him firmly. _Stop it, Lucas. This isn't going to help Kristin._

"All she's doing is trying to help people. Stop hitting her!" Lucas was shouting now.

Before Nathan could say another word, Dosa brought a fierce blow down across Lucas' face. The force of the hit caused the boy to lose his balance. Nathan grimaced as he tried to keep the kid on his feet.

"Adam, it's okay," said Nathan, hoping to reconcile his earlier mistake.

"Why did you call him Lucas?"

"I don't know," Nathan swallowed. _Think fast._ "He just reminds me of my son."

Dosa nodded as he reached out and grabbed Lucas by the arm and shook him. "Mind your own business, kid. You seem to have one of those faces or something. You remind me of my son too." Dosa's face darkened somewhat. "Don't you dare speak to me out of turn, or I'll beat your ass, got it?" He shook Lucas harshly again.

Lucas glared venomously. Nathan reached out and poked him purposefully. _Just agree with him, Lucas._ He looked at Nathan and opened his mouth to say something, hesitated and then closed it again.

Lucas gritted his teeth. "Don't. Hit. Her. Again." Nathan's heart plummeted to his feet as he heard the staccatoed demand. _LUCAS!_

Nathan held his breath waiting for the ax to fall.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin sucked in a painful breath as she heard Lucas' words. Her heart ached when she heard the sternness of the demand. He meant business. She felt so touched that he was willing to stand up for her honour. He was using all the power within him to protect her and stand up for her. _Oh,Lucas._ Her pulse quickened as she watched Dosa grab Lucas by the arm and throw him across the table harshly. With one hand he held his weapon and the other he held Lucas down across the table. Lucas was fighting with all his strength. Kristin pushed herself to her feet and stood gaping. She felt helpless.

"Saleem, stand watch. I need to teach this punk a lesson."

Saleem's mouth twisted into a gleeful smirk and nodded.

Nathan took a few steps towards Lucas, but Dosa pointed his weapon at him, threateningly.

"Stay away, Captain. This boy needs to learn his place."

"He was only trying to protect her, Mr. Dosa. He doesn't mean to be disrespectful. He's just a boy."

Dosa placed his gun in the hand holding Lucas down and shoved the teen down harder to the table. Lucas was struggling to get free. Kristin could hear him struggling to catch his breath. Saleem had his gun trained on Nathan, just daring him to make a move. The room seemed to be in a hushed silence. Everyone holding their breath in disbelief and horror.

"Lemme go!" Lucas tried to push himself up with his hands. Dosa shoved on his back firmly, leaning his elbow on his back. He reached for the belt around his waist and unfastened it. _Oh God, please no._ Kristin's hand went to her mouth involuntarily as she felt her stomach churn.

Nathan put up his hands. "Hey now, there's no need to do that. He was just trying to protect her. That should be commended. Don't we want our kids to have honour?" Kristin was trembling all over. Dosa continued to remove his belt from his waist with his free hand.

"Back off, Bridger. Unless you would like to perform the deed yourself."

Kristin saw Nathan take a step back, shock on his face.

Dosa stood up quickly and brought the belt down harshly across Lucas' backside. Time felt like it stopped as Kristin watched in dismay. Tears streamed from her eyes. Lucas' movements stop immediately with the first blow. His hands balled up into fists, and he put his head down on the table. _Oh Lucas, sweetie. I'm so sorry I can't stop this._

"Nathan!" Kristin covered her mouth again as she heard herself scream the captain's name. _DO SOMETHING! Don't let him hit Lucas!_ Nathan looked at her, anger and desperation on his face.

Dosa continued to bring the belt down severely on Lucas. Kristin could hear him whimpering, but he remained still. Each blow that rained down on him made her flinch. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she counted the licks. _10, 15, 20 licks. PLEASE STOP!_ Kristin blinked back tears and pleaded at Nathan with her eyes. _Stop him! Don't just stand there and watch him beat him, Nathan. For Pete's sake, do something!_

"I hope this will be a lesson to you, kid. Don't open your big mouth unless I speak to you." Dosa continued to swing the belt.

Kristin could see the look in Nathan's eyes each time the belt fell upon Lucas. Each blow caused the man to tremble and flinch in repulsion. As Dosa raised the belt again, Nathan suddenly lurched forward and caught it mid-air.

"Please, Mr. Dosa. Don't you think he's learned his lesson?" There was pleading in his voice.

Dosa stood up tall and yanked the belt away from Nathan. He dropped his hand to his side, breathing heavy from the exertion. Kristin could see the perspiration forming on the man's brow. She felt her own heart beating rapidly in her chest. Her hands felt cold and clammy against her face as she stood staring—hoping—wishing that Dosa would be done. Her heart broke as she saw Lucas lying still across the table. His chest was rising and falling quickly with the sobs that racked his body. _Please let it be over._

"It's up to him, Bridger. Has he learned his lesson?"

Kristin watched as Nathan gingerly touched Lucas on the back to let him know he could get up. Nathan helped him to his feet, and Kristin's breath quickened when she saw the look of utter despair on the boy's face. His face was red and tears streamed down his cheeks. He was gasping for air as he choked back sobs. It was all Kristin could do not to gather him up in her arms. She forced herself to drop her gaze from his pathetic face. She saw Nathan put a hand on his shoulder. "You've learned your lesson, right Adam?" She saw Lucas nod quickly.

"I didn't hear you, kid?" said Dosa.

Lucas choked back more tears.

"Did you learn your lesson?"

"He's just a boy!" shouted Kristin, finding her strength to move closer. _If he tries to do that again, I will…_ Kristin choked on her own tears knowing she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop it.

Dosa turned to her, shaking his fist. "Shut up!" He took a few steps closer to Lucas and held up the belt. "Are we finished here?"

"Y-yes, sir." Kristin sucked in her lip, her arms itching to wrap the frightened, despondent boy in a protective hug. She saw Lucas trembling, tears and mucous covering his face. The teen didn't make a move to wipe the tears away, but he continued to choke back sobs. His hands remained at his side, balled up into fists.

Dosa reached out and ruffled Lucas' hair in an oddly light-hearted way. It made Kristin feel sick to her stomach.

"Good. Glad we understand each other. Now sit right there, and keep your mouth shut unless I ask you something. Got it?"

Lucas nodded and sat down. His eyes seemed to glaze over. Kristin saw him put his head down on the table and continue to sob quietly.

Dosa began to replace the belt on his waist and as he did, he walked towards her. Kristin swallowed. Dosa stopped directly in front of her.

"Now, read my lips, Doctor. What the hell happened to my man?" Kristin licked her dry lips and searched her head for something to say. If she kept insisting she didn't know, Dosa was going to continue to assault her. Eventually the man was going to gain consciousness and tell Dosa himself.

Seconds later, the vid-link in the room rang loudly. Dosa's eyes widened, and he glanced at Nathan. He turned on his heel and headed towards the communication device. Kristin heaved a sigh of relief as she watched Nathan hurry after Dosa. Her hands trembled as she sat beside Lucas and put a hand on his head. His hair was wet from perspiration, and his body was still heaving from sobs. She leaned in close and kissed his damp head.

"Thank- you, Lucas." She wasn't sure if he heard her, and her heart was aching too much to say anything else. She rested her head on his.


	17. Chapter 17

Nathan scrunched his fists so tightly he could feel his nails biting into his hand. His emotions were ping-ponging back and forth between burning rage and complete helplessness. Standing by, watching Dosa hurting Kristin and Lucas was equivalent to having his hands tied behind his back and being sucker-punched in the gut. He forced himself to breathe deeply through gritted teeth as he followed Dosa towards the vid-link. He continually envisioned himself strangling the psycho with his bare hands. The communication link continued ringing persistently as they reached the vacant table it rested on. It struck Nathan as odd that Dosa always set the device down after each time they used it. The man seemed to have no concern about it when it wasn't something he needed. Dosa seemed to have given up on reaching out to anyone outside the room. Nathan wasn't sure if that was a good thing or something to worry about. Nathan clenched his jaw as he tossed a look over his shoulder at where Kristin and Lucas sat huddled together. His heart ached as he watched Lucas' shoulders quake. _Poor kid was still sobbing. Damn, it must have hurt something fierce to be beaten so many times with that freakin leather belt!_ Nathan's jaw muscles continued twitching forcefully, so much so that the tension was giving him one hell of a headache. Of all the possible outcomes, Nathan wouldn't have ever guessed that Dosa would thrash Lucas like that. _Oh, kiddo, I can't fathom why anyone would do that to a child?_ If Nathan could have taken Lucas' place, he would have in a heartbeat. Lucas had already been through enough. It was clear to Nathan what type of father Dosa was to his children. He was a man who would not tolerate any type of insolence or even an independent thought. The guy expected complete and total obedience. Nathan grimaced and felt his knees go weak. He put out a hand to steady himself as Dosa answered the link. Nathan furrowed his brows in confusion when he saw the unfamiliar face of a man on the vid-cam. _Who the hell is that? Had Sheppard left?_ _Was this guy a new negotiator?_ Nathan felt his hands grow cold at the thought. New negotiators at this stage of the game would only serve to make the situation more precarious. Nathan saw Dosa look at the link with uncertainty and skepticism written all over his face.

"What's the meaning of this, Bridger?"

Nathan shook his head, speechless. He didn't recognise the face. Nathan took the link from Dosa and clutched the device while staring at the strange face.

"Who the hell are you? Where's Sheppard?"

"Are you Captain Nathan Bridger of SeaQuest? I'm a reporter from NEWS 13. Can you tell me how things are progressing in the room?"

Nathan's jaw dropped in complete disbelief. _A reporter? What the hell?_ Nathan could see that Dosa's eyes were transfixed on the vid-link. Slowly a smile crept across Dosa's face, and Nathan knew the man had figured out how powerful this profound discovery was to him. Nathan felt his heart rate increase as Dosa yanked the device from his hands. _How the hell did the press manage to disrupt a secured UEO negotiation vid-link? What on earth was going on out there? Sheppard, where the hell are you?_ Nathan sucked in a ragged breath. Fatigue hit him like a brick. How much more complicated could this situation become? Communication with the press was suicide to the negotiation process. It could jeopardise everything. Somehow, he needed to create a diversion to give the outside time to break that link.

"What's going on outside this room?" asked Dosa, staring at the reporter.

Nathan thought Dosa looked almost gleeful. He took a few steps closer to Dosa, hoping to see the face of the reporter and throw some pleas in the man's direction with his eyes. _Oh my GAWD, this guy's an idiot!_

"Are you Syed Dosa? How many people have you killed? What do you want from the UEO?" The reporter peppered Dosa with a whole gambit of questions. Nathan could see the muscle in Dosa's jaw moving frantically. The reporter's questions were grating on the guy's nerves. Nathan knew that the reporter would have no clue the emotions running rampant in the room. The press was only focussed on getting their story. _Damn it, Sheppard, how could you let this happen?_

Dosa held up his weapon so that the man on the cam could see it. He glared hard.

"Tell me what is going on outside!"

Nathan saw the reporter blink a few times at the sight of the weapon. _This isn't a game, you idiot. Your demeanor and words could piss off this lunatic and get someone killed._

"Do you have anything to say to the world? Why are you holding SeaQuest's crew hostage? What do you want from the UEO?" Nathan closed his eyes in despair. He had hoped the sight of the gun would dissuade the reporter but it hadn't.

Dosa swung the link around the room, revealing the state of the room. He slowly panned the vid-link around the room, clearly showing the pile of dead bodies in the centre of the room, as well as the hostages in various stages of emotional distress. Dosa stopped the camera and allowed it to linger over Lucas and Kristin. Lucas still had his head down. Dosa began walking towards Lucas slowly. Nathan bit his lip as he followed. _What are you thinking, Dosa?_

Nathan saw Kristin's eyes grow large as she noticed Dosa walking over with the video-link in his hands. She cast a worried glance in Nathan's direction as Dosa grew closer. Nathan held up his hands to warn her to stand down. He hoped that she wouldn't do anything to make things any worse. _Relax Kris._ Nathan already knew that her momma bear instincts were working overtime at the moment. Dosa had no idea what he was up against if he dared to make another move against Lucas so soon. Nathan could see that Kristin was genuinely bitterly angry. Nathan almost gasped when he saw how much her eyes had blackened from Dosa's brutal smacks to her face. Her lip was swollen and blood still marked her face. Tears still glistened on her cheeks, but her eyes had a look of sheer determination. She wasn't going to stand there and watch Dosa beat Lucas again. Not while she could still stand.

Dosa stopped, giving the reporter an up-close look at Kristin's face and Lucas. The teenager still had his head down, likely lost in his own thoughts and misery. He hadn't seemed to notice that Dosa was so close.

"Take a good look at them!" Dosa's voice was loud and proud. "Answer my question, or I will beat the daylights out of them in front of your friggen eyes!"

Nathan sucked in a breath in horror. Dosa's face looked determined. Silence greeted the room as they waited for the reporter to answer. _For heaven sakes, answer him, or hang up the damned link, you imbecile._

Dosa reached out and grabbed Lucas by the hair harshly. Nathan gasped when he saw the boy's body startle. It appeared like the kid might have started to drift off to sleep from absolute emotional exhaustion. Lucas' face was white and tears still glistened on his cheeks. His face was also bruised. His complexion was so pale that bruises always looked twice as dark on his young face. Nathan saw Kristin put a hand to her mouth as Lucas whimpered in fear.

Dosa pulled Lucas backwards off his chair and knocking him to the floor. Lucas gasped and jumped to his feet quickly. He was trembling but remained quiet.

"Lean over the table, boy!"

Nathan felt his heart beating frantically in his chest.

"Mr. Dosa, please! Don't hit him again." Nathan could hear the pleading in his voice. "He's done exactly as you asked. He doesn't deserve to be disciplined. Would you punish your son for no reason?" _Appeal to his humanity. Help him remember that Lucas is just a boy. Make him think of his own child._

Dosa glared at Nathan. His eyes were dark. Nathan cringed but took several steps forward until he had put himself in front of Lucas. He felt Lucas grab his shirt. Nathan reached one hand behind him and grasped Lucas' cold hands tightly. _It's okay, kiddo, I'm here._

Dosa held up his gun and pointed it at Nathan.

"You have a choice, Bridger. Move out of my way now, or I will make you do the deed!" Dosa glowered at him with contempt in his eyes.

Nathan heart skipped a beat at the thought.

"Leave him alone! He's just a boy!" Nathan swung on his heel to see Kristin glaring at Dosa with her fists clenched tight. _Kristin!_

Dosa held up the vid-link as he took several steps towards Kristin and brutally backhanded her in the face. Kristin fell to the floor, and Dosa started to kick at her mercilessly.

Nathan cringed in shock as he pulled Lucas into him closely. "As soon as you have a chance, find a place to hide. Under a table, somewhere on the stage…anywhere you can find, but make yourself scarce!"

Nathan saw the boy nod, blinking back more tears that were threatening to fall. _I've got to get that kid out of view_ — _less of a target—less of a bargaining tool._ Keeping Lucas close behind him, he made a move towards Dosa.

"Ask him again!"

Nathan's words seem to startle Dosa, and he stopped kicking at Kristin. She remained still on the floor. _Kristin!_ Nathan felt perspiration dot his brow as he willed Kristin to move and let him know she was alright. His eyes searched her still form for some evidence that she was still breathing at least. A very slight movement and a tiny groan rewarded him, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

Nathan watched as Dosa glanced at the vid-link in his hand. His face reddened and tossed the communication device to the floor. Nathan pressed his lips together as the device went flying across the floor. _The link must have been broken! Thank God._ Nathan saw a hostage at the table across the way, reach out his foot to stop the device from sliding any further along the floor. Dosa started shouting in a language that was unfamiliar to Nathan. The other gunman, Saleem, began answering him in an angry voice. As the two men seemingly shouted at one another, the lights in the room went out, leaving them in the pitch darkness.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sheppard blinked his eyes a few times as he heard a distant voice calling his name. Where was he? Who was calling him? He felt so tired and groggy. He tried to open his eyes, but his eye lids felt like lead. He attempted to lift his arm to feel for the warmth of his wife but only felt air. His arm felt like it was filled with sandbags rather than blood and bone. He groaned wearily. _Whoever is calling me better have a good excuse._

"Sheppard! Wake up!"

This time he felt a strong hand shaking him awake. He opened his eyes, surprised to see Colonel Rick Hitchcock standing over him. Behind him stood Commanders Ford and Hitchcock and that scientist. _Who is that guy anyways? The group mascot?_

Sheppard sat up and moaned as he felt his back cramp up. His hand was asleep, and he felt like he might have been run over by a truck.

"The press leaked through into the room. Your men cut the link, but I'm not sure how long they held the connection before it was discovered," said Rick.

Sheppard's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in complete panic. _I shouldn't have gone to sleep! How the hell could someone have let that happen? How on earth could the press hack into their secured line?_

"How?"

"Someone hacked in," said Ford. His face was flushed. _Duh! I could have figured that out myself._

"Son of…" Sheppard gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath. The shock of the information hit him like a splash of cold water to the face. He rose to his feet and started pacing.

"It gets worse." Sheppard looked at the Colonel with a frown. "I overheard SWAT saying that they cut the power in the room."

Sheppard felt his blood go cold. _What the hell are they thinking? That room hasn't any windows. They just put the damned hostages in the dark with armed gunman!_

Commander Hitchcock heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid to even guess how Dosa is going to react to that."

Sheppard picked up a mug on the table and pitched it across the room. He clenched his fist and punched the wall in anger.

"Damn it! How are they thinking that's going to help anything? What about that link to Abdul Singh? Is it ready?"

The colonel shrugged.

Sheppard glanced at the wall. It was past three in the afternoon. _How long was I asleep?_

He walked across the room and grabbed the phone. As soon as his contact answered, he demanded to know if the link was ready.

"Yes, it's ready to project to the vid-cam."

Sheppard grabbed his communication link and dialed the room. The device rang. He glanced around the room, his heart beating hard in his chest. _C'mon Dosa, answer. Find the link._ Knowing the room was now pitch dark, Sheppard knew he'd have to leave the unit ringing for a very long time.

"How long has the power been out?"

"Only a matter of minutes," replied Rick, a grim expression on his face.

Almost as if in answer, shouts could be heard radiating down the hallway. Sheppard dropped the phone and ran from the room, clinging to the vid-link. The unit kept ringing, but there was no answer. Shouts and screams echoed down the hallway. Sheppard ran towards the Summit room. All the personnel outside the door were standing in horror, listening to the commotion. Soon gunshots rang out in the air. _Of all the stupid, idiotic ideas. SWAT couldn't have made a worse decision._

Sheppard could hear his pulse beating in his own ears as he listened. Soon the shots stopped and the room was quiet and still the vid-link continued to ring.

"C'mon, Dosa, answer it. Tell me what the hell is going on in that room." Sheppard was so intent on listening that his own voice startled him when he spoke. He twirled on his heel and scanned the surrounding area in search of Rick.

"Colonel, I want you to get the idiot in charge of tactical and bring him to me."

Rick opened his mouth to protest.

"Look, I know it's not protocol. I know it's not routine. Screw procedure! I want to see him NOW. Everyone in that friggen room is gonna die if we don't start getting on the same page. I'm sick to death of them making decisions that undermine every one of mine."

Rick nodded. "I agree."

Sheppard watched as he ran a hand through his hair and walked towards the exit. Sheppard felt like he was a hair's breadth away from storming outside and confronting the man. He knew if he did, he'd be instantly pulled as negotiator. He had to remain professional. But things were getting out of control. He refused to give up on a peaceful outcome. Those hostages were not going to die on his watch. Not if he could help it. _That is if anyone was still alive now. Damn it, Bridger, answer the link!_

"Commander, the link!" said Ford. Sheppard looked at the com-link in his hand. The link had been answered, but no one was speaking. Sheppard squint his eye as he tried to see what was going on in the room. Someone had pushed the button to accept the call, but no one was seen. The room was pitch dark.

"Anyone there? Bridger!" No answer. He could hear crying in the room. It sounded like a child. The Wolenczak kid? _C'mon, someone say something._

"Turn. On. The. Lights. NOW," a voice demanded in a menacing tone.

"Dosa, what's going on in there?"

A sharp scream was heard in the darkness. _Whose voice was that?_

"I won't ask you again," Dosa's voice was ominously quiet.

"Hey, listen to me. I didn't turn them out. The power is out in the whole building. We have people working on the problem as we speak." _Think fast, Sheppard. Make it believable._

"I don't believe you!" Sheppard heard another scream.

"I'm telling the truth." Sheppard's eyes went to the door. He knew that light would be pouring in the room from under the door. "The light you see from the door is from the natural lighting pouring in the windows. Remember all the windows that line the hallway? The power is out in the whole building. Might even be out in the whole area. I'm looking into it."

Sheppard heard Dosa groan. It was a low, guttural sound. Sheppard furrowed his brow. The sound was odd. _Was Dosa injured?_

"Can I talk to Bridger?"

Sheppard heard shuffling in the darkness but still there was no picture. The room was simply too dark. He could hear soft moaning and crying but didn't even see shadows. The link blurred somewhat as the device must have moved. Sheppard thought he saw something shiny appear on the link.

"Bridger!" Dosa's voice seemed to echo in the room. Sheppard held his breath while he waited for an answer. "Bridger, answer." Another wail rang out in the room. _Who is that?_

"Get the gawdamned lights on, or I'm gonna open fire in this room from where I'm standing. You'll be friggen shocked at how many hostages I'll hit." Sheppard could hear the quake in the man's voice. The guy sounded scared.

"I'm doing the best I can. Who's crying, Dosa?" A deep guttural scream was heard in the room again. It sounded like it was right beside Dosa.

"The kid is the first to die."

Sheppard sucked in his lip. _I wanted a peaceful release. Why on earth did tactical do this? Who the hell ordered such a stupid thing? What were they thinking it would prove?_

"I'm getting it fixed as soon as I can, Mr. Dosa. I promise you. Just relax, okay. I need more time. If it's out all over the building, I'm going to need more time. Can we bring you in some flashlights in the meantime? Some food?"

"NO food! Last time you poisoned us all, you son of bitch! Gimme some flashlights and water. And get the gawddamned lights back on! I swear I won't hesitate to open fire."

"Okay, I can get you some flashlights and water. Stay on the line with me, okay? As soon as I get the lights back on, I have your vid-link of Abdul being released. He has been let go to the exact coordinates you gave us. We left him there with plenty of food and water. We did just like you asked, and I will show you proof once the lights come on."

Sheppard felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He glanced around the room and everyone standing around him was frozen, almost holding their breath as he spoke. It was uncanny how a place could be teeming with people and you could have heard a pin drop in the hallway. No one moved or uttered a sound.

"Send in one, unarmed man with the flashlights and water. He stays too until the lights come back on." With those final words, Sheppard heard the beeping of the broken link of the vid-cam. Sweat dripped off Sheppard's head as he dropped his arms to his side. Things had just taken a dangerous turn and he felt like the whole operation had just gone straight to hell.

 _ **a/n two hostage situations I've researched had these exact things happen hand-in-hand...thought it would be interesting to throw in...am I kind of evil or what?**_


	18. Chapter 18

Lucas' cold hand trembled as he reached for his wristwatch. He felt around for the button on the side, pushing it firmly. The dim blue light made him blink slightly as his eyes adjusted to it. He could just make out the hand on his mouth now. He tried to twist his head around to see whose hand it was, but he could scarcely move. The hand was pressing down firmly and the room was too dark; he could barely see his own hand in front of him. In the chaos of the moment, Dosa had managed to thrown himself at the captain and grab Lucas by the hair. Lucas had tried to escape the tight grip but to no avail. He thought he could hear someone breathing and moaning softly beside him. He must have fallen close to someone...Dr. Westphalen maybe? She hadn't been far away from him and Captain Bridger when the lights went out. He reached out to see if he could feel someone in the darkness, but his hand only touched air. Something had fallen on top of him when the room went dark, causing him to scream out in burning agony. It was too dark for him to make out what it was. He wasn't sure if someone had tripped or what happened. Whatever it was was dead, heavy weight on his injured leg. Agonizing, stabbing pain shot straight up his leg and went right to his brain. As much as he wanted to stop screaming, he couldn't. His whole body was shaking and trembling, and the stabbing pain continued tormenting him. It wasn't until a cold hand covered his mouth that he was able to gain some measure of composure. He laid still breathing heavily and sobbing miserably. Dosa was grasping him painfully by his hair, something was crushing his legs and a smothering hand was covering his mouth. He felt like he was suffocating. He had tried to move his head back and forth to escape the hand. He scratched at the hand with his finger nails, but he was being held so forcefully. It felt like he was being smothered and crushed at the same time. Suddenly gunshots echoed throughout the room. He saw the muzzle flashes of light as the guns went off. He couldn't be sure but he thought the shots came from different weapons on opposite sides of the room. He couldn't remember where the gunmen had been standing. Was one of them still on the stage? _I need to get to that control panel._ He screamed out in pain as he felt more weight collapse on top of him. Crushing, heavy weight that was almost unbearable, sending more shocks of pain up and down his injured leg. Dosa had started shouting at someone of the vid-link. Time seemed to go in slow motion as the pain in his leg became more and more unbearable.

Lucas grimaced as he attempted to wriggle himself forward, still trying to get the dead weight off his body. Dosa released the grip on his hair after he cut the vid-link, and he stumbled away from him in the darkness. Lucas felt some relief but his heart continued beating rapidly in his chest as he frantically fidgeted, trying to escape the weight on his leg. He cried out again in anguish. The pain was so excruciating, he was becoming light-headed. He was breathing heavily and subconsciously choking back loud sobs. _You can't pass out now, Lucas. Stay alert. Get away._ The hand on his mouth loosened somewhat, giving Lucas some leverage to move his head more. He ducked his head to his chin and used what strength he had to try and sit up. In doing so, the light on his watch went out casting him into complete darkness once again.

"Lucas, stay still." Lucas felt his heart leap into his throat. That was Captain Bridger's voice.

"C-captain." His voice came out much louder than he intended. A firm hand went across his mouth again. Lucas blinked in the darkness, this time recognising the rough, strong hand. It was gentler this time and smelled like hand sanitizer.

"Listen to me. I need you to get to that front door. Sheppard is going to open that door, and the bright light is going to blind us all for several seconds. I want you to use that to your advantage and get out."

Lucas shook his head as he blinked back tears. He couldn't leave without the captain. The captain needed him to help. Lucas felt the hand on his mouth tighten resolutely.

"As soon as that door opens, you run and don't stop. Your leg is gonna hurt like hell, but you need to run anyways. I need to know your safe, Lucas. Do you understand me?" The hand on his mouth squeezed his face firmly. Tears streamed from Lucas's eyes and down his cheeks as he swallowed and nodded. He knew there was no way the captain's hand was going to move until he felt him agreeing with him.

"Good. I'm going to move my hand now, but keep your voice down."

Lucas felt the hand release and slowly leave his face. He inhaled deeply. The feeling of being smothered had left him feeling shaky. He cleared his throat quietly.

"I-I can't move."

"What?"

"Something's on my leg."

Lucas felt the captain's hand patting down his body until it reached his legs. The darkness made it impossible to see anything, so the captain wouldn't have known that he was pinned down. He heard the captain gasp several times in the blackness.

"It hurts." Lucas groaned and felt the overwhelming urge to scream again as he felt more weight on his leg. He grimaced and put his hand to his own mouth to stifle the cries. _Oh Gawd, it hurts so much._ He felt his head swimming again.

"Oww…C-captain, owww."

He heard shuffling in the darkness, and then he blinked when he saw the shadows of the captain's face in front of his eyes. The man leaned in close so that Lucas could see the whites of his eyes. Lucas could feel his hands on each side of his head.

"Sorry, kiddo." Captain Bridger's eyes looked at him in sympathy. "I know it hurts like hell, but when I say so, I need you to pull your legs out. You have at least three men lying on top of you. I'm gonna try and pull 'em off ya. I'm weak, Lucas. My shoulder is killing me. It's gonna hurt us both."

Lucas felt the captain's hand pat his cheek. He envisioned the compassionate look on the man's face. It wasn't hard. He'd memorised the look.

"Okay."

Lucas heard the captain shuffle to his lower torso again. He bit his lip hard as he felt the some of the weight lifted off of him. He felt some relief.

"Move now," gasped the captain. Lucas heard the pain in the man's voice.

Biting down on his lip, Lucas pulled his legs out as quickly as possible. The pain was excruciating as he forced himself to crawl away from the bodies on top of him. _Who were the men? Were they dead?_

"Are you out?"

Lucas nodded in the darkness, breathing heavily and trying to find his voice amidst the overwhelming waves of pain.

"Lucas?"

"Y-yah, I'm out."

Lucas heard the captain groan and a dull thud was heard. Lucas tried not to imagine where the sound had come from. He didn't want to know. In that moment, he was glad for the darkness. He wasn't sure his mind could take much more death and devastation. The darkness allowed his mind some privacy and protection from the horror in the room. He heard some more shuffling and then the captain was beside him. Lucas collapsed into him, and he felt the man embrace him tightly, running a hand through his hair. They both remained like that for several minutes without saying anything. Lucas could hear the man's heartbeat in his chest.

"Okay, Lucas. You need to find your way to the front door. Do you see the light at the front?" Just a hint of light was shining from under the door. "As soon as it opens, you need to run! Don't look back for any reason! Do you understand me?"

"B-but what about you, Miguel, Tim and Dr. Westphalen?"

Lucas felt the man shake him sternly. Tears filled Lucas' eyes once again. He wasn't meaning to make him angry.

"It's an order, Mr. Wolenczak. Do you hear me?"

Lucas nodded and he felt the captain pushing him away.

"Go now. I'm going to see if I can find Kristin."

"I thought I heard her breathing, Captain. She's close by, I know it."

Lucas felt the man cup his cheek and again. "Don't you worry. I'll find her."

Lucas pulled himself forward on his hands and knees. He didn't dare stand up for fear he would stumble and fall in the darkness. He put his head up and directed his eyes toward the light in front of him. The light was the only thing he could see in the darkness, and he forced himself to keep moving towards it. Several times, he ran into table legs and people's legs. He felt hands grabbing at his head, feeling his hair. No one seemed to prevent from him moving, just curious who was brushing up against them. He whispered his name a few times to those who asked. Then hostages all seem to understand what he was attempting to do. Perhaps many of them were thinking the same thing. He grimaced as he slipped in wet spots. The smell overwhelmed him a few times when he realised that he had crawled through people's vomit and who knew what else. He choked back tears as he continued to make his way to the light. He held his breath hoping he wouldn't run into any of the gunmen or Dosa. He couldn't see a thing so he might as well have been blind. Finally after what seemed forever, Lucas reached the doors where the light peaked in. He stuck his fingers under the door for good measure, like the light had some kind of mystical, healing power to save him. He lay on the floor, breathing heavily, willing the door to open. He wiggled his fingers subconsciously as he curled up in a ball in front of the door.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sheppard's hands were shaking. He didn't remember being so angry in all his life. He'd been involved in hostage negotiations for years and never before had he experienced such stupidity. _I get it. Everyone is getting tired._ God knew he was tired, exhausted even, but if he admitted it and stood down, things would only get worse. He'd just spent the better part of an half hour arguing with an egotistical SWAT commander. No one admitted to cutting power to the room. It seemed like the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing out there. Someone had gone off half-cocked and taken matters into their own hands. When this was all said and done, Sheppard was going to make sure heads rolled for the incompetency. There was absolutely no excuse for the series of events that had occurred. Someone dropped the ball with the press, and someone jumped the gun by cutting the power. Because of that, things were precarious at best. Sheppard had made himself very clear. Get the power back on in that room ASAP. The SWAT commander had stormed out, but Sheppard felt certain that the man would cooperate. Someone on his team had screwed up. His neck was on the line.

Noise from outside the room captured his attention, and he turned to see one of his personnel at the door.

"Commander, one of the hostages is sticking fingers out the door."

Sheppard looked up from his command post, furrowed his brow and stared at the man giving him the information. _What on earth? Fingers?_ He rose to his feet and hurried out the door towards the Summit room. Sure enough, small, thin fingers were wiggling under the door frame. Commander Hitchcock was kneeling and stroking them. She looked up as he came close.

"It's Lucas," she said softly.

The small hands were filthy, stained with blood, dirt and who knew what else. All Sheppard could think about in that moment was how whoever it was needed to get away from the door. He was waiting to get a shipment of flashlights in so they could deliver them into the room. He still hadn't decided who he would order to deliver the lights. It didn't seem ethical to order any one man to his death. As much as it was in his power, no man would be staying in there once the items were delivered. Dosa could go straight to hell.

Sheppard put his hands on his hips as he watched the female commander sit cross-legged and stroke the fingers gently. The scene felt surreal to him. If he was to be honest, it was ripping his heart out. He could envision the young teen lying on the floor and reaching out under the door, begging and pleading with them to help him. The kid had been stupid to sneak in the room in the first place, but kids _were_ stupid and thought they were immortal. It was just the way they were, and Sheppard's heart went out to the teenager. He knew that the boy must have been scared out of his mind. But he was alive, and Sheppard intended to keep him that way.

"When you open the door, I'm going to get Lucas out of there."

Sheppard looked up to see Commander Ford looking determined.

"Sorry, Commander, this isn't your jurisdiction."

"The hell with jurisdiction, Shep. You need my help. Who are you going to order to do it?" Ford's look was penetrating. Sheppard could see the man was used to calling the shots in the absence of his commanding officer.

"Alright, fine. But you get the kid and get out fast. No one is staying in that room, commander. Got it?" He saw Ford nod solemnly.

A commotion down the hallway caught his attention, and he saw men carrying in boxes. More personnel rushed forward towards the men, helping them carry the containers. The sealed water bottles would give the impression of being unaltered. People would feel more secure in drinking it. Sheppard knew that many of the people in the room would be on the verge of dehydration from being drugged earlier. While the effects of the drugs might have worn off for some of them, weakness and lethargy would remain. Anyone drugged would need medical care as soon as possible.

Keeping his voice low, he ordered men to place the boxes by the door. He couldn't be sure where Dosa was standing nor what the man would hear. He could have his ear to the door and be forcing the kid to put his fingers under the door. He'd checked email several times over the past few hours and hadn't received any more responses from the doctor. She had either given up hope or had been killed in the gunfire. He hadn't trusted the intel from her emails but a part of him had grown to see it as hopeful.

"Okay, everyone, listen up!" His voice was low and clear. "I'm going to address Dosa very loudly and on my mark, I want those doors opened as wide as possible. We want a good look into that room." Sheppard looked behind him where the Colonel stood. The man was looking at him sombrely. "Everyone take a good look around that room. Memorise as much as you can as quickly as you can. When the doors shut again, we need to put our heads together and organise an in-depth picture of how it looks in there. Got it?" Sheppard saw heads nod. He took a deep breath and walked towards Commander Hitchcock and tapped her on the shoulder. He saw her give the small fingers a squeeze, and she rose to her feet. It was now or never.

"Syed Dosa! I have your flashlights. We're ready to deliver them along with bottled water. I'm awaiting your permission." The fingers under the door disappeared immediately. Everyone waited on baited breath for an answer. Sheppard waited for several minutes before speaking again.

"Dosa, do you hear me?" He made his voice extremely loud. He thought of using the vid-link again, but he wasn't sure if it was wise. He wasn't sure how much light it cast into the room. He wanted the bright light to blind Dosa and his men for as long as conceivably possible to give them the upper hand. Sheppard wasn't stupid. He knew that Dosa was aware of how the light would affect their eyes. He was going to be prepared for that as well.

"Come in!" came a powerfully, loud voice.

Sheppard swallowed in anticipation. The voice was right next to the door. Dosa wasn't taking any chances.

"Be careful, Ford. He could have that kid in a head lock or something."

The dark skinned man nodded and prepared himself accordingly. No one knew how it was going to play out. It was almost like everyone in the hallway took a deep halting breath at the same time the men grabbed the doors and pulled them opened as wide as possible. The door stoppers came down with a thump and light permeated the dark room.

Sheppard stood still with his hands at his sides. He forced his brain to mentally concentrate on taking attendance and soaking in everything he could see. The smell radiating from the room was overpowering, nearly causing him to gag. The overwhelming stench of vomit, urine, sweat and blood—death-seeped out into the hallway. He heard people gasp around him as everyone concentrated on taking in everything they could see in the room. Hostages in the room squinted from the bright light. Sheppard watched as Jonathan carried in boxes of water and then flashlights. _Hurry up, Ford. Find that kid._ In a sudden, unexpected blur, Sheppard saw someone run recklessly from the room. The movement set off a flurry of gunshots, and Sheppard saw Jonathan stumble and fall. The gunfire seemed to startle hostages in the room and several more made a run for the door. More gunfire. Screams. Shouts. Stunned silence as bodies collapsed to the floor, many not making it before being gunned down. Military personnel, complete with bullet proof vests, lunged forwards and grabbed victims who dared to make a run for it. Within seconds after, the doors were slammed shut. Sheppard took a few steps forward and pushed on the doors but they were firmly closed once again. _Damn it all to hell._ He sucked in a haggard breath as he glanced around at the carnage. Six men were down on the floor in a pool of blood, while paramedics rushed to their sides. From the corner of his eye, he saw four men who had escaped uninjured. The kid was nowhere to be seen.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan didn't know whether he should cheer or cry when he saw hostages making a run for the open door. He kept holding his breath and willing Lucas to make a run for it. Time seemed to go in slow motion as many more hostages took the opportunity to run for escape. Many of them were shot in the back for their efforts. Most didn't even make it to the door but a few had escaped. Nathan's heart dropped when he saw Jonathan go down in the hailstorm of gunshots. Then the room was thrown into a shroud of darkness once again. It seemed much darker this time as he was temporarily blinded and his pupils adjusted to the lack of light once again. He heard people gasping around him. He knew people were desperate. Even he'd lost track of the time. He was beginning to forget how long they'd been trapped in the room with the madmen. _How many escaped? How many died?_ Nathan blinked a few times when he saw some light flash in the room. Dosa must have found the flashlights. He gingerly rose to his feet in hopes of securing a light of his own. He needed to find Kristin. Nathan stumbled forward, groaning as he shoulder pulsated. He was in pain and he felt weak. He had reinjured the wound when he'd lifted the weight off of Lucas. _Lucas! He hadn't managed to get out. Where are you, kiddo._ Nathan felt tears burn in his eyes. He hated not knowing where the boy was. Was he shot? He had to find him. Nathan's mind assaulted him with all kinds of what ifs. Just as one scene played out in his mind, another would creep in that was even more horrific. _Calm down, Nathan. Lucas is resilient. He's fine. Don't panic. Hopefully he will forgive you for allowing Dosa to beat him so badly._ Nathan's head pounded. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forgive himself for any of it. It was the reason why he didn't want attachments. They made him more vulnerable and weak. Nathan stumbled again, falling to the floor. He felt around him, trying to find secure footing. The scent of lilacs hit him as his face brushed against hair on the floor. _Kristin?_ He reached out to feel some soft hair. He blindly ran a hand through the long hair until he reached her face. His fingers touched something sticky on her head. _Blood?_ He felt down her body searching for the weapon he had given her. She wasn't moving, but he could feel her breathing. She was alive, but he couldn't be sure how injured she was. Dosa had really gone to town kicking at her. He could have easily caused internal bleeding.

Nathan's hand brushed against something hard at her waist. He frowned. The weapon seemed to be under her dress. _Geez, how else would she have carried the gun, you idoit? She was wearing a fancy evening gown, for Pete's sake. She must have tucked into the waistband of her slip or something._ He had almost forgotten that it had been a formal event. Everyone dressed up in their best. He brushed his hand against her forehead briefly. He leaned into her and found her ear. He wasn't sure if she was conscious or not.

"Kris?"

She didn't respond. Nathan swallowed hard, feeling slightly awkward even thinking of doing what he was planning. Suddenly the darkness in the room didn't feel so bad to him.

"Kristin, can you hear me?"

He shook her gently. He didn't want her to wake up and scream, thinking someone was raping her or something. He just needed to get his hands on the gun. Nathan gently shook her again but she only moaned. She was semi-conscious. _Damn it!_

"Listen to me, Kristin. Listen to my voice. It's Nathan. Don't panic but I need to reach under your dress and get the gun. Do you understand?"

Nathan held her hand in his. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

Nathan felt himself growing weak as he balanced himself over top of her. His shoulder was making him feel increasingly more lightheaded. He wasn't even sure how much blood he had lost by now. For all he knew, he was going to go septic and die before they were rescued. _He didn't have time to pass out_. _Kristin and Lucas needed him._ He needed to stay alert and do his best to get out as many hostages as he could.

"Kris, please." His voice was sounding distant even to him now. Unexpectedly, he felt a weak movement in his hand. She'd heard him. Nathan heaved a sigh of relief. She was alive and able to communicate, even if just a little.

"I'm just going to reach under your dress for the gun, okay?"

Suddenly, light shone around the room, and Nathan blinked when it rested on him. Dosa limped towards him. _Damn it!_ Nathan felt his heart rate increase. He didn't want Dosa to find Kristin and now he had led the maniac right to her. He didn't even have time to get the gun. He couldn't be sure how pissed off the terrorist would be or if he even had any kind of comradery left with the man. Nathan rose to his feet slowly, holding his hands out. He took several steps towards Dosa, hoping to dissuade the man from targeting Kristin again.

Dosa came close and stopped. "Any idea where the vid-link is?"

"No. It slid across the room just before the lights went out. I can't be sure where it ended up."

Moaning and groaning could be heard around the room. Nathan wasn't sure who was wounded, who was sick and who was dead anymore. He had lost his bearings in the room. He wasn't even sure where _he_ was at the moment.

"Take this." Dosa tossed him a flashlight. "Round up as many people as you can to one corner of the room. I want everyone in one area where I can keep an eye on them while the power's out." _Why does he still trust me?_ Nathan switched on the light and shone it around the room. People looked terrified and confused.

"Once I do that, can I get everyone water to drink?"

"Yes."

With those words, Dosa turned to walk towards his other two gunmen, Saleem and the nameless one from the stage. Nathan shone his light on the body pile; the other gunman still lay unconscious. _One less guy to worry about for now._ Nathan felt the urge to go and whack the guy again for good measure but resisted. _You're becoming as bad as Dosa, Nathan._

Nathan cleared his throat boldly. "Alright everyone, I know you heard the man as well as me. Do your best to make your way to the left side of the room near the stage. If you are able-bodied, help those who are not. I'll do my best to light your way."

Nathan saw heads nodding and people slowly beginning to move towards where they were instructed. Nathan kept shining the light around, making the room lighter while people moved. While they did, he made mental notes of the people who weren't moving, including Jonathan. He hadn't moved since he was shot. He only hoped it wasn't too serious. Dosa had had a clear shot of the man while he carried in heavy boxes of water and the flashlights. Clenching his jaw muscles tightly, he tried to scan the room for Lucas. He couldn't see the kid anywhere. Nathan licked his dry lips. His mouth felt parched. He could use some water to drink as well. As the movements slowed and people settled in the new location together, Nathan saw Dosa nod his approval towards him. _Why do I feel like I'm leading the lambs to slaughter?_


	19. Chapter 19

_**a/n This update has been a little slower in coming. Life has been kind of crazy. Sorry about that. You will have to bear with me a little as school enters its final weeks. Six more weeks of school! Woohoo!**_ _ **Between teaching, balancing my children and life in general, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I need vacation on a secluded island haha**_

 _ **Thanks for the reviews and the private messages. You are all so encouraging. Glad you are enjoying the story. :)**_

Nathan slowly made his way towards where he remembered the boxes filled with bottled water were left. He shone the flashlight carefully over his path as he walked. He felt his stomach churning as he approached the hostages who had been shot. Some of them were moaning and obviously very much alive, while others were still and most likely dead. Part of Nathan felt like the ones who were dead were the lucky ones. The injured ones laying there in agony could very well have sealed their fate to die a long, painful death. His heart took a dive when his eyes caught sight of Jonathan. The man wasn't moving and could very well be dead too. _Such a waste of a young life._ Nathan struggled to breathe for a moment while he stared at the dark-skinned man. It dawned on him how close he had grown to the man. Jonathan wasn't just his first in command, he was his good friend. Nathan was fighting the urge to feel for a pulse, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. Dosa had told him to get water for the hostages. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness washed over him as he stepped over the injured hostages. He desperately wanted to shine his light on Dosa to see what the man was doing, but the guy had his light targeted on him, watching his every move. _I can't tell if he trusts me or if he's daring me to screw up so he can put a bullet in me._

"Captain."

Nathan was startled by the soft voice, and he shone his light briefly at the floor. His heart rate increased when he saw Jonathan's eyes pop open and stare up at him. _He's alive!_

"Jonathan!" Nathan's voice was so quiet, he could hardly hear himself. He felt relief flood over him. "How badly are you hurt?"

"Just a nick, sir. Nothing serious." Jonathan attempted to sit up, but Nathan held him down with his foot. _One hell of a game of possum, Commander._

"Stay down until I'm gone, Commander. Dosa doesn't need to see you just yet."

Jonathan nodded his understanding and lay back once more. Nathan pointed his light towards the containers of bottled water. He didn't want to give Dosa any idea that he was talking with someone. Nathan's heart was still beating fast, but this time it was because he felt thankful. _Damn, I'm impressed with your acting, Commander. I thought you were dead._ He couldn't have been more relieved to see his friend alive. Having another stronger abled-bodied man in the room was going to be useful. Nathan was feeling increasingly weaker as time moved forward. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to stay conscious, let alone on his feet.

"I took cover once the shots began." Jonathan continued to explain, and Nathan tried to force himself to pay close attention while looking like he was searching for the water. He couldn't hesitate for long in any one place. "I can't find Lucas, Captain. Sheppard wanted me to get him out, but he was nowhere to be seen when the doors opened. Do you think he escaped?"

Nathan put his back to Dosa's light "I dunno. The light blinded me." For the first time, Nathan felt hopeful. If Jonathan hadn't seen the teen, maybe he had escaped after all.

"See if you can make your way over to Kristin, Miguel and Tim. They're still at the table we were sitting at for dinner. Kristin's injured, but I dunno how badly. I'm trying to keep Dosa away from her, Jonathan. He's a sick bastard with no respect for women or children." Nathan hesitated for a minute as memories of Lucas being beaten and Kristin being kicked flooded his mind once again. He forced himself to take a haggard breath and continue.

"Tim and Miguel have been really sick from the drugs in the food. What the hell did they put in it anyways?"

Jonathan shook his head. "I dunno, Captain. But from the looks of things, it didn't seem to affect Dosa or his men much though."

"It slowed Dosa down for a bit, but, no, it didn't affect him or his men nearly as hard as it hit others. It pulled the rug out from under nearly half the hostages."

Nathan kept himself moving and appearing like he was searching in the darkness. He tossed a look over his shoulder and noticed that Dosa had taken his light off of him. He took the opportunity to drop down to his knees.

"Kristin is on the floor to the right of the front table," whispered Nathan. "Dosa kicked the living day lights out of her, Jonathan. Find her for me and see what you can do to help her. Keep that sick son of bitch away from her." Nathan saw the solemn look on Jonathan's face as he nodded. Nathan patted him on the shoulder while silently trying to assess and decide for himself what the man called a nick. Nathan had no doubt in his mind that Jonathan's idea of a nick was likely far worse. His light found the injury rather quickly. Nathan ripped the cuff off his pant leg and applied pressure to Jonathan's arm. He heard the man hiss. The man's arm was a bloody mess.

"Nick huh?" He saw the whites of Jonathan's teeth momentarily.

"I'll keep her safe, Captain."

Nathan tied the cuff to the man's arm tightly. "Thanks."

Rising to his full height again, he found the box of bottle water. He saw Jonathan rise up on his hands and knees and scoot off out of sight. Nathan quickly attempted to lift the box only to gasp out in pain. There was no way he was going to be able to carry it to the opposite side of the room on his own. He leaned against the table wearily. He felt more than just tired. In fact, he would have been at a loss for words to describe just exactly how he was feeling. He wasn't a man to stand by and do nothing. He'd found himself caught up in many perilous situations in his lifetime, and they had all been tough. This time felt different. He didn't know if it was because he was older or if it was because his heart had allowed people to get close or if he was just getting soft…whatever it was, this situation was sucking the life from him. He'd lost control of everything. He didn't even know where Lucas was. The boy could be wounded or even dead for all he knew. Nathan felt his knees go weak, and he sat down in the nearest chair. He felt tears burn in his eyes. At this point, he wasn't even sure if Lucas would ever trust him again. He'd just stood there and watched as Dosa beat him. He'd promised the boy on numerous occasions that he'd never let anyone hit him like Franklin Wise had done. He promised to protect him, and he'd let him down. Nathan put his head down on the table, allowing himself to indulge in a pity moment. He put his hand on his hand and massaged his temple. For some odd reason, he kept picturing an old Popeye cartoon in his mind. Popeye was listening to two exact replicas of himself, each occupying a place on opposite shoulders. One looked like a devil and the other an angel and each were screaming opposite messages into the navy man's ears. Nathan grimaced at the image as he could hear a similar battle going on in his own head.

" _Damn it, you stood there watching that madman beat Lucas. What kind of man are you?"_

" _What else could I do? It was killing me watching him beat my son."_

" _Your son? He's not your son, Bridger. You're not fit to be a father. Lucas deserves so much better than you."_

" _He sees me as his father."_

" _You don't deserve him. He needed you to stand up and protect him, but, no, you just stood by and watched him being beaten. How do you think that made him feel? The one man he trusts. The man who'd pledged to keep him safe. What a joke! You might as well have beaten him yourself. He's never going to forgive you or trust you again!"_

Nathan moaned despondently and felt his head swimming as he endured the inner voices inside. The guilt was gnawing away at him. It hurt so much; it was sucking the air from him. The not knowing was eating him alive in the same way not knowing about his son, Robert, ate away at him. That unknown sucked the life from him. He had learned to live with not knowing about Robert but, if truth be known, it had been Lucas' presence, the chance that the kid gave him to be a father once more that allowed him to breathe again. He couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Nathan wiped at his face, feeling a new determination. _I'm going to find you, Lucas. I swear that bastard won't lay another hand on you or I will kill him myself._

Nathan raised himself from the table and swiped away stray tears than stained his cheeks. He reached into the box and gathered as many water bottles as he could manage without dropping them. He stuffed a few flashlights into his pockets as well. He felt renewed energy as he stumbled his way across the room with his hands full of water bottles. He needed to be strong for Lucas, Kristin and the other hostages. People were counting on him to remain steadfast. Nathan didn't bother to light his way as he forced himself to remember the clearest path across the room. Holding the light would have taken away from holding more water. He glanced in the direction that he knew to be approximately where Dosa and his men were standing. The whole room seemed shrouded in darkness again. Why did Dosa choose to remain in the dark? What was he planning? Suddenly a loud scream echoed throughout the room. It was the kind of scream that filled you with dread and covered you with goose bumps. A scream of genuine terror. _Kristin!_ Nathan would recognise her voice anywhere. He felt a cold dread fill him as he quickened his pace to where he thought he'd left her. Kristin kept screaming until something muffled her screams and then there was silence. Deafening, eerie silence.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas pulled his knees tighter to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin on his knees. The room was so dark. He knew it wasn't possible to be any darker than it was before the doors opened, but it just felt darker. Lucas chided himself. _Maybe because your pupils are adjusting to the lack of light, dummy._ He thought about everything that had happened once the doors opened. He had managed to crawl right to the front and had been ready to run out just like Captain Bridger told him to do, but someone beat him to it. Once the gunshots started, he had crawled behind the doors and was too frightened to move. He kept hearing Captain Bridger's angry words in his head ordering him to get out. The man had made it clear that he didn't want or need his help. So many emotions were jumbled up in Lucas' head. He wasn't sure which burned hotter within him. He did know that he felt like he was in huge trouble with the captain. It was like he had disobeyed a command, and the captain didn't look kindly on that. The fact that it was so darn dark didn't help him feel any more secure. Maybe no one could see him but he still felt so vulnerable. Maybe no one would ever truly understand why he came into the room in the first place. His intentions had been good. He honestly thought he would be able to help matters, but no one had listened to him. Had he been Commander Ford or just about any other adult, people would have listened to his opinions. _Don't be stupid, Lucas. Captain Bridger listens to your advice all the time, and you know it. He would be the first to ask you your opinion if he thought it would be helpful. Sneaking in this room wasn't bright._

Lucas sucked in his lip and strained his eyes to see any type of light. He had crawled back towards the stage after the doors were shut. Two of the gunmen had slammed the doors shut and barricaded them quickly after so many hostages had escaped. Lucas had wanted to get as far away as he could. He still had his mind set on reaching the control panel. If he could reach it, he would be able to get the lights back on. _I admit, I thought of doing the same thing, but it was a really stupid idea. No one can move or see a thing in the pitch black darkness. This must be making Dosa freak. Not being able to see hostages made them dangerous. It was never good when the hostage-taker felt vulnerable._ It felt more than a little disconcerting to see nothing but blackness. Lucas waved his hand in the air, and he noticed that he couldn't even make that out.

Feeling a renewed sense of determination, Lucas dropped his hands and began to slowly crawl forward again. He kept the wall to his right side as he crawled. He knew that the stage was straight ahead, but he just didn't know how far it was from the door. He'd lost his bearings in the room. He kept thinking about the control panel and how he would access it once he reached it. He wasn't sure if one of the gunmen would still be guarding the back door or not. The darkness had made seeing impossible for everyone. _Why isn't anyone using the flashlights, for Pete's sake?_ Lucas just didn't understand what kind of game Dosa was playing.

As he crawled, he tried not to focus on the pain in his leg. It ached constantly now. At least, the throbbing, agonising pain from the thrashing had dissipated somewhat. It had been pretty horrific to be thrown across the table and belted so viciously. And Lucas had to admit, the humiliation was equally as painful as the actual beating. He'd been so conscious of all the people watching him. He felt like he should have fought back somehow rather than just submit to it, but he'd felt helpless. He kept hoping that Captain Bridger would step in and stop it, but he hadn't. He had to admit, a small part of him wondered if the captain felt he deserved it and that was why he hadn't stopped Dosa. _Don't be so stupid, Lucas. What was the man supposed to do? Wrestle the belt away from Dosa? He could have been killed trying to defend you._

Franklin Wise had beaten him without mercy so many times for so many days that he had lost track of time. He still had nightmares about it. He had just started to feel secure enough to sleep back in his own room. Up until a few weeks ago, he'd still been crashing in on the captain. Dosa's thrashing had been horrifying, but something about it felt more reminiscent of a parent disciplining a child then a brutal beating. Granted, a really demented, twisted parent but Dosa had kept his backside a clear target. Wise had beaten every inch of his back and downwards. He never concentrated in any one area. Lucas swallowed hard at the memory. There had been a few moments when he had flashed back to Wise' beatings. It was that overwhelming, depressive, emotional repression that had overwhelmed him that made him sob so uncontrollably. When he had willed himself to recover from it, he'd realised that Dosa's beating itself hadn't been nearly as bad as he had made it out to be. He felt sure it looked much worse to people who had been watching it. He felt humiliated that Dosa would chose to hit him like some unruly child. _I can't believe I'm complaining about how a terrorist beat me. You're an idiot, Lucas._ The utter ridiculousness of his thoughts made him shake his head. His own idiocy was as plain as the nose on his face. _If I could see my nose._

Lucas's head bumped into something in the darkness. He reached up his hand and felt around to see what he had run into. _It's a door._ He pulled himself to his feet and felt for the handle. Once his hand found it, he turned it slowly and pushed it forward. He crept forward and entered the stairwell. He debated leaving the door open for others but decided to close it. He didn't want any surprises if he could help it. Once the door was firmly shut, he carefully felt with his foot where the stairs were. He did his best to make his way up the stairs, keeping himself close to the wall as he walked. Once he reached the top of the stairs, he made his way to the far wall, remembering in his mind how the stage looked. He knew that there was a large amount of tools and paraphernalia along the wall, including the blasted saw that had ripped his leg to shreds. He did want to tango with that stuff again if he could help it. Unfortunately, the control panel was on the other side of the pile of renovation equipment. Lucas dropped to his knees again and made his way carefully across the stage. He felt his way along until he came to something large in front of him. He felt around carefully only to realise it was the pile he had run into before. He did his best to veer around it in the darkness. He swallowed hard as he blindly crawled. He felt his heart rate increase as he made his way along. Suddenly he froze in the darkness as he felt himself brush against something that felt like fabric. In that moment, as he tried to establish what he felt, he heard some high pitched screams coming from the room. _Dr. Westphalen?_ His pulse began to race as he pictured what would have made her scream like that. He desperately tried to keep himself calm when he felt something grab his hair.

"Who's there?" came a whispered voice.

Lucas chewed his lip as his heart was beating frantically in his chest. Who had him by the hair? They weren't pulling but holding tightly.

"W-Who are you?" said Lucas in a hushed voice.

"Lucas? Is that you?"

Lucas closed his eyes and nearly collapsed onto the floor as he realised who it was. Relief flooded him as he forced himself to breathe deeply.

"Miguel?"

"Yah, it's me, Kid. Are you alright?"

"I thought you were down for the count from the food."

"Not gonna lie to ya. I feel like the walking dead, but I wanted to see if I could find that control panel you told me about."

Lucas reached out in the darkness and found Miguel's hand. It felt cold and clammy.

"You should probably be resting."

"I might be sick as a dog but I've been seeing and hearing way too much while I've been having my Kermit moment. I'll have time to be sick later. As far as I can figure it, Bridger owes me a couple of sick days after this. Right now, we need to get proactive."

Lucas furrowed his brow in the darkness. "Kermit?"

"Yah, you know, Kermit the frog?" Lucas stayed quiet for a few moments. "Geez, Kid, haven't you ever watched the Muppet Show?"

"No."

Lucas heard Miguel groan in the darkness. "Never mind. Can you find the control panel?"

"Yah, I think so." Lucas was quiet for a moment. "Miguel, did you hear Dr. Westphalen screaming?" Lucas could hear the shakiness in his voice. He knew he'd heard it, but he wanted some reassurance somehow.

Lucas felt Miguel put a hand on his shoulder gently. "I dunno, Lucas, but let's not dwell on what we don't know okay? Do you think you can get the lights turned back on?"

"I dunno. I don't even know why they would have shut them off in the first place."

"Again, let's not speculate about things we don't know. It's a waste of energy."

Lucas puffed air out of his cheeks. He was glad Miguel was here with him. He was feeling himself relax somewhat because he wasn't alone. It felt easier to handle the unknown when someone he trusted was close by. Lucas put his head on the ground and focussed on slowing his breathing down. His mind was darting in so many different directions that he was feeling light-headed. He was worried about Dr. Westphalen and hoping she wasn't hurt. He was worried that Captain Bridger was mad at him for not getting out when he commanded him to run out.

"Lucas, are you okay?" Lucas shook his head. He wasn't okay. If there had ever been a time when he wasn't okay, it was now. The thing was he should be okay. No one was threatening him or hurting him in this moment so really he just needed to suck it up.

"I'm fine," he lied, his voice shaky.

"I saw what Dosa did to you. It was freaking insane. You didn't deserve that."

"Uh, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Wise did worse." Lucas didn't want to discuss it.

"Lucas, that was brutal. Listen, once when I was about your age, my uncle took a belt to me for sassing him. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, and I probably deserved it, but you didn't. I felt it for weeks afterwards and never have forgotten. Don't belittle it, alright?"

Lucas felt tears burn in his eyes. He just wanted to forget it ever happened. His leg hurt much worse than his backside at this point in the game. Being reminded of it just made him feel it again, and he didn't want to feel any other pain.

"Whatever, c'mon, let's find that panel. Just watch out for the equipment to your right against the wall. There are some sharp saws and stuff. I ripped my leg open on one of them."

Lucas felt Miguel's hand firmly on his back. He waited in the darkness for the man to say something else. It was like more words lingered in the air but after several minutes, the unsaid words dissipated and he felt the hand slip away.

"I'm right behind you."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin felt a tight hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fright and her heart was ready to leap out of her chest. _Breathe Kristin. Stay calm. Don't panic._ She blinked her eyes a few times and tears ran down her cheeks. _Why is it so damned dark in here?_ She had awoken to complete darkness and then she had felt someone touching her. It had startled her so badly that she started to scream. She hadn't meant to but it was just her gut reaction. The darkness had thrown her for a loop. _Who had their hand over her mouth? Was it Nathan?_ She tried to sit up but the hand held her down. Her heart was racing as she continued to blink back tears.

"Doctor, it's me, Jonathan. Please don't scream."

Her brow furrowed. _Jonathan? What the heck? He'd escaped, hadn't he?_ Kristin felt confused. She felt the hand slowly slide away from her and she again tried to get up. She moaned slightly as she sat up. Her head spun a little and she put a hand to her temple. Overwhelming nausea overcame her suddenly, and she placed her hand over her mouth to try to prevent herself from getting sick. She felt some strong arms steady her from behind, and she leaned into them despite herself.

"Are you alright?"

She bit her lip hard to keep herself from vomiting. Waves of nausea kept washing over her. She tried to speak but the feeling was overpowering. She pushed on her stomach to apply some counter pressure to her churning gut. She cried out in pain and felt the hand cover her mouth again.

"Shhh…Bridger wanted me to keep you out of Dosa's hands, but you need to be quiet." Kristin could hear some admonishment in Ford's voice. Her temper flared up somewhat at his words. She wasn't making noise on purpose. Something was wrong. Her side and stomach ached, she felt dizzy and sick to her stomach.

Kristin nodded in the dark. "My…sick…" Her voice quavered. She took a deep breath and cried out again. _I must have some broken ribs. It hurts to breathe deeply._

She leaned back into the commander and tried to breathe deeply but cringed with each breath.

"Doctor, how badly are you injured?"

"I…I think I've broken some ribs." Kristin gasped as she forced herself to speak the words.

"Oh." Jonathan's one word said much more than he did.

Kristin knew it was bad news. Injuries were just something they didn't have the luxury to have at this point in the game. It just made them vulnerable.

"Commander…how…" she managed to stammer the words. _How did he get in the room again?_

"That's not important right now. Dosa had the people congregate into one corner of the room. I'm not entirely sure if that's a good sign. I'm going to do my best to move you to a secluded area of the room. It shouldn't be hard in the dark."

Kristin licked her lips. "Where's Nathan?"

"He's hauling water to everyone. I brought in some water with me."

"Lucas?" Kristin heard Jonathan sigh. "Commander?" Her heart rate increased again. Was the teenager okay?

"We don't know where he is…"

"You need to find him!" Kristin felt herself beginning to panic as she strained her eyes in the darkness. "Leave me. I'll be fine. You have to find Lucas." Kristin forced herself to her feet, chewing her lip to keep from screaming out. The pain was excruciating.

"Doctor."

Kristin could hear the concern in Jonathan's voice. She reached out and pushed him away from her with stubborn determination. "Find him, Commander." She heard Jonathan groan in the darkness.

"There's no use arguing with me. He's just boy, and he must be terrified in this darkness." Kristin gritted her teeth as she felt waves of pain flood over her. _Definitely several broken ribs. OW!_

"I'll do my best."

"Do better than your best."

Kristin heard a sigh but then silence greeted her. She reached out her hand into the darkness and felt nothing but air. She would have heaved a sigh of relief but instead she continued to grit her teeth as she felt around for a chair. Once she found one, she gingerly sat down, covering her mouth to stifle a cry. It hurt like hell, but she was alive. Pain was something she could live with. She leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. _Find him, Commander._


	20. Chapter 20

Sheppard, Colonel Hitchcock and several of the top UEO personnel had been working non-stop for several hours putting together a layout of the room from everyone's input. Sheppard felt confident that he had a good handle on things as he stared at the sketches pinned to the wall in the command room. He heard a knock on the door as he finished pinning the last of the intel to the wall.

"Enter."

Sheppard turned to see Commander Hitchcock enter the room. She was carrying some fresh fruit and juice boxes.

"Thought you could use some sustenance." She smiled at her father and offered him first choice.

"Thanks, Katherine," said Rick, taking an apple and biting into it.

"How are things going?" she asked.

Sheppard chose a banana and leaned against the wall as he peeled it upside down.

"Well, we have a pretty good idea how many hostages are left in the room. I've had personnel compare who has been released, who's been shot or injured and who is deceased."

Katie nodded slowly. "The paramedics told me that all the hostages shot who made it to the hallway are stable. That's good news at least." She set the tray down and glanced at the facts on the wall.

Sheppard felt encouraged by the information. "Very good news, indeed. We can only speculate on the others gunned down." Sheppard paused for a minute as his mind flashed to the hostages that had been shot and still lay inside the Summit room. He didn't want to think about how much they were suffering and dying as they stood trying to figure out how to get everyone out. It was too horrible to reflect upon very long. "My intel says there are about 45 still alive in the room."

"So what's the plan?" The commander's question hovered in the air as Sheppard tossed his banana peel into the garbage.

"We need to get the lights back on so Dosa will take that call."

"Why not just patch the call through now?" suggested Rick.

Sheppard shook his head. "Right now, the guy is pissed. It's dark in there, and he's likely lost control of the hostages. I want him focused on the call when he sees it."

Rick scratched his chin. "I think you should patch it through right now. He's distracted and irritated. You're trying to pull the wool over his eyes and with him being off kilter, this might be the perfect time."

Sheppard paced across the room, putting his hands on his hips. "We can't risk it, Rick. If he suspects we're tricking him, he might just blindly open fire on that room."

Katie brushed her hair from her face. "If he figures out you're tricking him when the lights are on, he will have a clear view of the victimswhen he shoots. Seems to me like darkness could be the protective veil we need."

Sheppard massaged the back of his neck thoughtfully as he stared into space. He clenched his fists tightly when he thought of how annoyed he still felt that some idiot had cut the power to the room in the first place. _Of all the idiotic, mindless…_ He stopped himself from going on a rampage in his mind. It wasn't going to help anything. The worse part now was he couldn't be sure when the power would be restored, if at all. He had personnel pestering to know immediately when it was re-established. The last he heard, they were having a difficult time getting things back online. And of course, no one knew who had cut the power in the first place. Sheppard clenched his jaw as he tried to simmer his temper. Never again would he allow himself to work with another SWAT team outside the UEO. They were all a bunch of imbeciles. The UEO SWAT team was meticulous and professional, and for all the years he'd worked with them, he'd never seen them make the blunders this group did.

Sheppard picked up his vid-phone and fingered it. "The video has been ready to patch through for hours." He sighed. He didn't know what the best answer was. Basically, he was counting on the video being convincing.

He dialed the link. "Stand by to patch the video of Abdul's release into the Summit room, Lieutenant."

"Aye, sir," replied the voice on the line.

Sheppard dropped his hand to his side and stared at Katie and Rick Hitchcock. The situation was precarious no matter what decision he made. It all depended upon how well the video was made and if Dosa would buy it. It was by far a long shot. Sheppard closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath. He wasn't even sure if Dosa would listen to him because of the light situation. He raised his hand slowly and stared at the unit in his hand. He dialed the Summit room and listened while it rang. He looked up at the others in the room and put a finger to his lips. He knew that everyone was well aware that they needed to be completely silent. He positioned himself to a blank wall, grabbed a pad of paper and waited for the link to be answered.

After a matter of several minutes, the link was answered. Dosa's face appeared lit up by a flashlight. His face looked eerie. Reminiscent of the face of a frightening story-teller around a campfire.

"Why the hell aren't the lights back on yet?"

"I'm working on it, Mr. Dosa. The whole building is out." Sheppard felt his heart rate increase when he noticed the light in the command room. _Crap! The friggen lights are on in this room!_ He quickly wrote "lights" on the pad and shoved it towards Rick. He watched as the man stealthily jumped up and quickly switched them off.

"I will keep you up-to-date." Sheppard glanced at Rick gratefully.

"It's friggen pitch black in here, Commander. It's making me feel trigger happy. I suggest you work a little harder to get them back on."

"I'm doing my best, Mr. Dosa. How are the hostages doing?"

"Bridger has corralled them together in one spot, and is being a good little water boy."

"Okay, I have the video for you of Abdul's release. Release the boy and I will patch it through."

Sheppard saw the flashlight spin around the room several times and return back to Dosa's.

"Can't do that, Commander. I have no clue where the little brat is. He's missing in the darkness, and I'm pretty sure that even if I call the kid, he won't come out."

Sheppard cursed to himself and forced himself to take a deep breath. Other than the light shining directly on Dosa's face, he couldn't make out anything in the room. He couldn't even hear any voices in the room. He had no idea if the man was feeding him a line.

"Where's Bridger?" The vid-link panned the room, and Sheppard could just make out Bridger behind Dosa with his own flashlight. "May I speak with him? He may be able to get the kid to come out?"

Dosa returned the camera to his own face, and he scowled. "What makes you think the kid will come out for him?" _Good one, Sheppard!_ Sam Sheppard chided himself for nearly giving the relationship away. _Slow down and keep your cool._

"I don't. I just thought it was worth a try. He might respond to the captain. You never know; kids have heroes, and he might look up to the captain of SeaQuest."

Dosa looked skeptical of his answer but motioned to Bridger to take the vid-cam.

"Try and call the kid, Captain Bridger," ordered Sheppard when he saw the captain's face. Sheppard quickly assessed that the man didn't look well. His face was pale and perspiration sprinkled his brow. Sheppard was trying to read Bridger. Was Dosa lying?

He saw Bridger nod. "Adam! I know you're scared, but it's okay to come out. Mr. Dosa is going to let you go free." Sheppard heard how weak Bridger's voice sounded. _Adam? Who the hell is Adam? Lucas? How badly are you hurt, Bridger? If we can't get the kid to come out then maybe we should get you out instead._

"Adam! Come out! Please." The plea echoed in the room but was answered with silence. _Damn it, kid. Where are you?_

"Too bad, so sad, Commander."

"Let the captain go instead. He doesn't look too good."

"You want to leave, Bridger?" Dosa shone his light on Bridger's face. Sheppard chewed his lip in that moment. He couldn't see the look on Dosa's face, so he had no way to know what the man was projecting Bridger's way.

"That's okay, Commander. Mr. Dosa and I have established a nice friendship here, and I would like to see him safely through this. Patch the video through." _I get it, Bridger. You can't leave now._

"Alright. Stand by."

Sheppard put the Summit room on hold and ordered his lieutenant to patch the video through. The man nodded without words, and link was cut. Sheppard looked around the room and took a deep breathe. The rest was up to Dosa now.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas' eyes grew large when he heard the captain calling him to come out. He tried to make out Miguel's facial expressions in the darkness but couldn't. Did the captain really want him to come out? Should he answer?

"Not a word, Lucas."

"B-but he's calling me."

"Dosa is forcing him. Trust me, Bridger wants you to stay hidden away. There is no way in hell that he wants Dosa to get his hands on you again."

Lucas felt his hands shaking as he continued to crawl in the darkness. He felt his whole body trembling. _I hope you're right, Miguel. Right now, I feel like the captain is furious with me about everything I've done. He's probably going to send me packing if we ever get out of here alive. I'm nothing but a nuisance to him._

Lucas felt his head hit the wall in front of him. He reached his hand out forward and felt his way up the wall until his fingers touched the control panel.

"I found it. Do you have a flashlight or something?"

He felt Miguel come up behind him and place a hand on his back.

"No, but it doesn't matter. We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves anyways." He heard Miguel chuckle in the darkness.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Well, you always said you could fix the panels blindfolded."

Lucas groaned as he opened the panel and felt around, trying to remember what it looked like when he last messed around with it. Most of the panels were wired the same. It was true, he always joked with the guys that he could fix the panels on SeaQuest blindfolded. _I guess now's the time to prove it._

Lucas undid his watch on his wrist. "My watch has a low, blue light. Just press the button on the side." Lucas pressed the watch into Miguel's hand. Some light was better than nothing.

Miguel held up the watch and the soft light cast a small glow on the control panel. It wasn't much, but it allowed him to see the wires. At least he would know what he was pulling and connecting. He leaned back somewhat, placing some of his weight against Miguel. The pain from his leg seemed like it was getting worse. He grimaced in the darkness, trying not to think about the things he had crawled through. He knew all too well that his leg was likely infected.

"Hey buddy, you okay?"

"Yah, just unsteady."

Lucas felt Miguel put his hand on his shoulder. "Things are going to be okay, Lucas. Don't let yourself dwell too much on anything negative. It's self-defeating. We need to focus our energy on the positive. You hear me?"

"Ok." Lucas knew his voice was quavering. He didn't feel very positive.

"C'mon, Lucas. You've been through worse than this. Think of what happened at the Node. You convinced that maniac, Mycroft, to give up. You did that on your own even after the idiot nearly choked you to death. You kept Julianna safe. You saved the SeaQuest from being commandeered."

Lucas swallowed as he was overwhelmed by memories. _Stop, Miguel! Honestly, that isn't helping._ "Please, don't remind me." His voice came out like a croak.

Miguel held the watch up higher and grabbed Lucas' cold hands. "Focus, Lucas. Can you get the power back on in the room?"

Lucas took a deep breath. Miguel was right. He needed to focus. _Block everything out except that panel._ Lucas squint his eyes to concentrate. The blue, red and yellow wires had allowed him to open the door. _Maybe Miguel and I should just get out._ Lucas felt hot tears burn in his eyes. He felt so confused. If he mentioned it to Miguel, he knew the man would make him do that. _Everyone always put my safety before everyone else's just because I'm a kid._ _Forget it. I'm not leaving this room unless it's with the captain, the doctor and the rest of the crew. We leave together or we die together. All for one and one for all._

"I can't be sure if I mess with these wires if the power will come on or if I'll set off the alarms, Miguel. It's too hard to see, and it's a little bit like trial and error."

"All you can do is your best. If you hear anything, be ready to pull the wire fast to stop it. That noise will alert Dosa, but he still won't be able to see us over here."

Lucas licked his lips and nodded in the darkness. He knew Miguel wouldn't see it, but he didn't feel like saying anything. If he did get the lights on, they were going to stick out like sore thumbs. They would need to take cover quickly. He fiddled with a few of the wires and made his decision.

"At the count of three, I'm going to make a wire switch. If the lights come on, be ready to dive for cover. Dosa will be blinded for several minutes but then we will be visible to everyone."

"Gotcha."

Lucas chewed his lip, and arranged the wires. "One…two…three…" Lucas purposefully pulled and plugged and instantaneously, the room flooded with light. The two of them dove to the floor and rolled behind the pile of renovation equipment.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin blinked subconsciously, covering her eyes with her hand to shield them from the bright lights. She gave herself a few minutes to allow her eyes to adjust then she removed her hands. She felt immense relief to be able to see around her. _Thank goodness!_ She still didn't know why the lights were out in the first place. _Was it a power outage?_ Nothing else made sense to her. As soon as her eyes stopped watering, she scanned the room to see Nathan standing beside Dosa. She immediately noticed how pale he looked. His eyes met hers for a brief moment. He gave her a weak smile. It was obvious he was relieved to see her as well. She returned his smile. _He doesn't look well at all. Poor guy._ Kristin carefully felt for the gun that was still in tucked in her waistband of her slip. It was still where she had placed it. Slowly, she stood to her feet. She grimaced at the pain but relieved that the nausea had left her. She could handle the pain. The nausea had been overwhelming and had made it hard to focus on dealing with the pain.

She glanced towards where she last remembered seeing Tim and Miguel. Tim was staring at her, blinking in the brightness of the lights. He was pale but looked like he was feeling somewhat better. A bottle of water was sitting on the table in front of him. The rest of the hostages were congregated at the table closest to the stage. She mentally counted roughly 40 men of varying ages, nearly all of them looked weak from fatigue and illness. A handful stood out as being unaffected by the food poisoning. _Where is Jonathan? Miguel? And LUCAS!_ She forced herself to take a deep breath. _OW! Slowly, Kristin. Breathe slow and as deeply as possible._

As she forced herself to breathe through the pain, her eyes searched the room. She couldn't see anyone else in the room. Her eyes darted to the stage and couldn't see anyone there either. Dosa and Nathan were in the centre of the room by the disgusting pile of dead bodies. She put a hand to her mouth when she saw more bodies littering the floor by the front entrance. _What on earth? What happened while she was out?_ Some of the hostages were moaning in pain and others were still. Kristin rose to her feet without thinking. _I need to see if anyone needs help._ She froze as she remembered that there was very little she could do. _You have to do something, Kristin. Anything is better than nothing. Even a kind word is better than sitting here._ She made a move towards Tim. She could see that Nathan and Dosa were occupied with the vid-link. They were both watching something. Two other gunmen were sitting at a table directly behind them drinking water. Both men looked exhausted and haggard. They didn't appear to be all that vigilant anymore.

"Tim, are you well enough to help me with the wounded hostages?" Kristin made her voice as soft as possible. Her broken ribs made it extremely difficult to speak very loudly anyways.

"Sure," came the quiet reply.

Kristin watched as the man gingerly stood to his feet. He stumbled a bit but was able to establish a firm footing rather quickly.

"Drink some water, Tim." He nodded.

Kristin looked for the emergency first aid kit that she had been using. It still sat on the table from when she had stitched up Lucas' leg. There wasn't much left in it. It wouldn't be much good to her. She grabbed it anyways and started to make her way across the floor. She was acutely aware of the eyes burning a hole in her back as she walked. She knew Dosa would see her, as well as the gunmen. She also knew Nathan was staring daggers at her. He knew he wanted her to stay put and not make herself a target, but there was no way she could just sit by and do nothing. People were injured. He couldn't expect her to just let people die without trying to help, not even offering some kind words. He knew her better than that. She cast a look over her shoulders to see Nathan glaring at her. _You're predictable, Nathan._

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Doctor?"

Kristin felt her whole body startle as she heard the ominous words. Her eye met with Dosa's who had looked up from his vid-link. He looked cautiously intrigued.

"I'm going to see if I can help those people." Kristin pointed to wounded hostages. She couldn't help but have a flare of anger in her voice. Dosa scowled at her, and then turned to his men behind him.

"Bring her to me."

Kristin raised her hands in protest. "No, please. Can't you see they're suffering? Have some compassion! Please let me see if I can help them."

One of the gunmen rushed forward towards her. Kristin began to tremble in anticipation. She could see Nathan lick his lips, a concerned, helpless look washing over his eyes were pleading with him. Kristin felt frightened as the man reached her side and grabbed her arm. He pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her throat. Kristin cried out from the rough treatment.

"P-please, I only wanted to help."

"Shut-up, bitch."

The gunman raised his gun and pointed it towards the hostages moaning on the floor.

"Oh, Gawd, NO! Please, don't!"

Desperation smacked her in the face when she realised what his intentions were. Her eyes widened in horror as the man proceeded to shoot several bullets into each one until they were all silent. Tears filled Kristin's eyes and she choked back sobs. _It's my fault! I should have kept my mouth shut._ Pain radiated through her as she tried to concentrate on breathing and dealing with the brutal carnage she had just witnessed. _Oh please,_ she prayed, _please don't let Lucas have seen that._ Her whole body trembled as the gunman dragged her back towards Dosa and Nathan. Kristin couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she thought of all the hostages that had just been shot. Her heart quickened in her chest as the man took the opportunity to reward himself by touching her. She sucked in a painful breath as she felt him run his hand across her breasts slowly. She swallowed in panic as his hand traveled downwards. She could hear his heavy breathing as he pulled her closer and fondled her with a disgusting moan. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Suddenly the man's hand rested at her waist and her eyes flew open. _The gun! He found the gun!_ She heard him gasp in surprise. He quickly swung her around and smacked her across the mouth fiercely. He held firmly to her and shook her.

"The bitch has a gun concealed under her dress!" The man shouted the words loudly towards Dosa.

Kristin saw Dosa look up in bitter anger, blurting out words she couldn't decipher.

"Alhusul ealaa bunduqiat w qatilaha." _(Get the gun and kill her - in Arabic.)_

The strange language echoed throughout the room. Kristin stole a glance at Nathan. Her eyes were pleading with him to help her. She knew he couldn't do anything, but she also didn't care in the moment. She was terrified. The gunman smacked her again as he held firmly to her arm, digging his nails into her skin.

"Please, stop! It's my gun!"

Kristin worked hard to remain on her feet when she heard Nathan shout the words. He was holding up his hands towards the terrorist.

"I gave it to her when we came into the room. She doesn't even know how to use it."

The gunman reached out, grabbed the neckline of her dress roughly and tore the front of her dress away from her body. She gasped in shock and clutched to her chest. The man reached for the weapon and held it up with one hand so Dosa could see it as he proceeded to backhand her again. The force of the blow sent her stumbling to the floor. Trembling in fear, she looked up to see Dosa back hand Nathan several times in the face as well. Time seem to come to a halt as her mind filled with thoughts. Images of her daughter, Cynthia, came to her. _I love you, Cindy._ Her mind flooded with memories and regrets, wishing she could hold her daughter again. Wishing she could have been a better mother to the girl. Wishing she could have been a better wife to her ex-husband so he wouldn't have left them…wishing…regretting…

Tears cascaded down her cheeks as her mind turned to Lucas. The boy's face popped into her mind's eye. She wished she could tell Lucas how much she adored him. _You are such a lovable young man, Lucas. I love you. You are like my own child._ Her heart ached as she thought of how much she dearly wanted to show him what unconditional love really was. She had seen so much hurt and pain in his precious blue eyes. Her heart ached to make that all go away. She hoped that he was safe.

Kristin forced herself to cast a sideways glance towards Nathan who was standing holding his mouth and breathing heavily. Dosa was screaming at him in another language and continually punching him in the face. Kristin had stopped hearing the words. Her eye caught his and she willed his heart to hear hers. _I love you, Nathan Bridger._ Another sharp blow to her face brought her attention back to the gunman. He still had his gun trained on her. Her heart beat sharply in her chest. She closed her eyes and waited for him to shoot.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N Our Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada...its been busy...and I haven't been feeling well...so this update has taken me awhile. Yesterday we spent the day helping friends do some renovations...and today I'm still not feeling well...I swear spring and summer colds are the worst. I can thank my wonderful son for sharing it with me.**_

 _ **Thanks for the reviews and pm's and encouragement. I really enjoy it. :)**_

Nathan put his hands up to defend his face from the blows Dosa was throwing at him. Everything within him was screaming at him to flatten the lunatic and pound his face into the ground. Nathan had been a boxer in his youth, and he prided himself on staying in good physical shape. Even injured, he felt confident he could take Dosa down in a heartbeat. The only thing stopping Nathan was the weapon the psychotic man held in his hand. That and the fact that Dosa's idiotic lackey had his gun pointed at Kristin. _Those guns are the only things keeping you alive, Dosa. You better stay alert._ Nathan dared Dosa to drop his guard for even a nanosecond. Nathan was just waiting for the right moment to pulverise him. _You better pray I don't get the chance because once I start, I will not stop._ Nathan forced himself to keep his facial expressions neutral. Dosa swung his arm back and landed another sharp blow to Nathan's face, causing him to stumble backwards. This time his eye caught Kristin cowering on the ground. She was looking at him in desperation. Nathan's breath caught in his throat as he watched Dosa's minion, Saleem, rip the bodice from Kristin's navy blue dress. The colour drained from his face when he saw her desperately trying to cover her modesty despite the fact she was wearing a white camisole.

"Listen, Mr. Dosa, please. The gun belongs to me! Kristin doesn't even know how to use it."

Nathan attempted to get Dosa's attention as he raised his hands higher.

"Why does she have it?" Dosa smacked him again.

Nathan kept his eye on Kristin and Saleem who had his weapon pointed at her. The man's eyes looked wild. Nathan sucked in a deep breath.

"Please, don't hurt her. I can explain everything! Just don't hurt her." Nathan kept his hands up and pleaded with Dosa with his eyes. "I'm trying to do what I can to help you get out of here alive, Mr. Dosa. I haven't lied to you or done anything to betray your trust. Please, I beg you to trust me." Nathan lowered one hand slightly to wipe away some blood that was dripping down his chin. He looked deeply into Dosa's eyes. _C'mon you son of a bitch, listen to me._

Dosa dropped his hands to his sides and was breathing heavily from swinging at Nathan's face. He put one hand on his hip and leaned over slightly like he had developed a stitch in his side. He looked worn.

He turned to his own man. "Bring her to me, Saleem"

Nathan lowered his other hand carefully and massaged his chin. It was throbbing from the number of hits he had taken. He had begun to think Dosa was going to break or dislocate it. He was relieved to find it was still intact. Nathan sucked in a breath as he watched Saleem drag Kristin to her feet and bring her to Dosa. He cringed when Dosa licked his lips as she came closer. Nathan could see him eying her up and down. Once she stood in front of him, he jerked her hands away from her breast and seemed to be enjoying ogling her state of undress. Nathan felt his temper flare red hot, and he had to pinch himself harshly to keep from doing anything he'd regret.

"Tell me, Bridger, who is this woman to you? Why would you give her a gun?" Nathan sucked in a deep breath as he watched Dosa run his dirty hand along her chin and down the front of her chest. Kristin looked horrified. That fiery spirit he usually saw burning in her eyes had been replaced with terror. It was ripping his heart out to look at her. He could see the pleading in her eyes. She wanted him to help her…to protect her…something…anything.

"She's the Chief medical officer on SeaQuest and the head of the science department. No weapons were allowed in the Summit room, and they scanned all the military officers before entering the room. I gave her my weapon to conceal for me."

Dosa pulled Kristin closer to him, brushing his cheek against her face. "Why did you think you would need a weapon?" Nathan couldn't be sure if he was asking Kristin or him. He saw her swallow as more tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Look, I had more than 100 different opportunities to use it, but I didn't!" Nathan was feeling desperate to convince the man to believe him. "Doesn't that prove to you that I didn't plan to use it?"

Nathan took a few steps closer to Dosa. "I've been trying to help you. I want to help you get out of here alive. Please, believe me. That goal hasn't changed. We just saw Abdul being released. Let me help you get home to your wife and children." Nathan made his voice as soft as possible. He made his eyes look at Dosa with sympathy. _Appeal to his humanity. Remind him that he's accomplished what he set out to do. Now it's time to go home._

Dosa loosened his grip on Kristin, and she collapsed to the floor weeping. Nathan frowned as he heard her cry out as she hit the floor. It seemed like she was working hard to catch her breath between sobs. _Oh Kris, how hurt are you?_ His arms ached to reach out and hold her, to comfort her and let her know she was safe. _Focus, Nathan. You need to get the attention away from her. Dosa needs to concentrate on his escape now. He needs to feel like he can get out of this unscathed. He needs to feel like he accomplished what he set out to do._

"Let's call Sheppard and get this thing finished."

Dosa raked a filthy hand through his hair. He stared at Nathan as he chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully. Like everyone else in the room, Nathan felt sure the man was weary of the battle. The room resembled a war zone. It reeked of vomit, blood and sweat. Death hovered in the air. Nathan held his breath as he stared at Dosa, waiting for him to make some kind of decision.

Dosa looked up at Nathan and nodded. "You're right. It's time to finish things."

Dosa took a few steps towards his mercenary and the two exchanged several words. Saleem appeared to listen for several minutes and then began to shout at him. His face grew red in anger. Nathan took a few steps back in concern. _What the heck is Dosa saying?_ Nathan had no clue what was being said. He tossed a look towards Tim who had taken the opportunity to move closer during the commotion. Tim's face looked alarmed. Nathan could see him mouthing some words but couldn't make out what Tim was trying to communicate.

Saleem continued shouting at Dosa and began to wave his arms frantically. The wild behaviour captured the attention of the other unnamed gunman who wandered over and soon joined the battle. The three men stood arguing and waving guns in the air. The tension in the room mounted as the men's loud voices escalated. Nathan motioned Tim to come to his side as he took the opportunity to stoop down to Kristin's aid.

"Kristin, are you okay?"

She nodded but Nathan could feel her trembling as he reached out to touch her. His gentle touch made her cry out in pain. He looked at her closely, trying to determine her injuries. Nathan unbuttoned his dress shirt and removed it, quickly covering her shoulders. He pulled the shirt around her as she sat shivering. She was going into shock.

"Can you stand to your feet?"

She nodded again. "Y-yes. I think I have a few broken ribs, but I'm fine, Nathan." Nathan smiled warmly at her as he helped her to her feet. She stumbled a bit and leaned into him slightly. He embraced her gently. _You're_ _always the pillar of strength, Kristin._

The voices of the three men began to intensify causing Nathan's heart to speed up. He couldn't understand the words, but he wasn't deaf to the intensity of their tones. The men had reached their end of patience with each other. Nathan caught the sight of Tim as he brushed up against his shoulder quickly.

"Captain, Dosa is trying to convince the other two to let the captives go free. The other two refuse to listen because Ibrahim Singh ordered that everyone be killed." Tim's face was white.

Nathan paled. "Help Kristin get to someplace quiet, but away from the other hostages. Do you have any idea where Jonathan and Miguel went?"

"Miguel went to look for the control panel. I'm assuming it was he and Lucas who figured out the power problem."

Nathan felt Kristin shiver as he pulled her close momentarily. "I just hope Lucas is safe," she whispered. Her voice was just barely audible. Nathan only heard it because he held her so close to his ear.

"Don't worry, Kristin. If he's with Miguel or Jonathan, he'll be safe." Nathan looked at Tim. "You might need to hide her, Tim. I don't know how this is going to play out. I need to deescalate things."

Just as Nathan turned to look at Dosa, Saleem turned on his heel and opened fire on the hostages sitting at the table in the corner. The room filled with screams and shouts of horror and pain. Several of the hostages collapsed to the floor while others ducked for cover. Nathan saw Tim grab Kristin and pull her to the floor, half dragging her under the nearest table. Nathan heard her cry out as she was pulled away. Nathan gritted his teeth as he ducked down. His heart was beating ferociously in his chest as he watched Dosa backhand Saleem in the face, knocking him to the ground. Saleem struggled to gain his foothold, but Dosa was too fast. Dosa punched him again and turned his weapon on him.

"Don't move, Saleem. We do this my way."

Saleem lay back, breathing heavily. "Ibrahim was a fool to trust you!"

"I did what he asked. Abdul has been released. It's over, Saleem."

"It will _never_ be over as long as the UEO controls the oceans. We have to make…"

Dosa's hand shook. "Shut-up! My brother already died, Saleem. Who else needs to die before we're through? Enough!"

Saleem rose to his feet. His face looked severe. "Hail to the People's Liberation Army!" Saleem put his hand to his chest and covered his heart. He glared at Dosa and then took a running leap towards him. Dosa shouted at him to stop but to no avail. The gun went off in the struggle and when Dosa stepped back, Saleem was lying dead on the floor. Dosa's face was white, and he was breathing hard as he dropped his arm to his side. He glanced over at his last remaining mercenary. The man shook his head in despair, dropped his hands to his side and walked away from Dosa. Dosa's hands tightened into fists as he glanced at Saleem's dead body.

"Bridger, get a link out to Sheppard. I want that helicopter now!"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas attempted to jump to his feet when he heard the gunshots but was held back by Miguel. He glared at his friend.

Miguel looked sternly at him. "Stay down, Lucas."

"We can't just stay here when Dosa is out there shooting people." Lucas was exasperated. "C'mon, Miguel, we need to do something!"

"Do what exactly?" Miguel kept a firm hand on his back. The two of them were still hiding behind the renovation pile on the stage. Both of them were feeling helpless.

Lucas shoved Miguel's arm away and leaned against the wall.

"I don't know!"

Lucas sighed. He was grateful that Miguel was close by, but he felt irritated with him. He knew it wasn't Miguel's fault, but the fact he was being the voice of reason felt aggravating. Lucas saw his friend situate himself comfortably beside him, leaning his head against the wall.

"Look, I feel as helpless as you do, Lucas, but for now, this is all we can do." Miguel raked his hands through his hair. "How's your leg?"

Lucas groaned. He didn't care about his stupid leg. Well, he did, but only because it was hurting so badly. _Hurts like hell!_ Lucas pulled his leg up and glanced at it. It was red and inflamed. He grimaced as he pulled at his ripped pant leg. It was pretty much glued to the blood. He hissed as he attempted to unstick the material. _OW! How could I have been so stupid!_

Miguel looked at him and then sat forward to examine his leg. Lucas saw him grimace.

"Looks like it's infected."

"It's fine." Staccato words.

Miguel sighed. "You're one stubborn kid, Lucas. Sometimes I don't even know what to say to you."

Lucas looked up at Miguel in surprise. "What do you mean?"

For some reason Lucas was feeling like he wanted to pick a fight. He was frustrated. He was worried. He felt helpless. He felt like Captain Bridger hated him. He felt angry at the captain as well and was confused about that. One minute he felt like he wanted to pound someone's face in and the next he felt so vulnerable and scared. Lucas opened and closed his fist, noticing how his hand was trembling. His heart was racing constantly making him feel on the verge of panicking all the time. He couldn't even put into words how he was feeling, let alone try to explain it to Miguel. He certainly wasn't meaning to be difficult. Yet, as he looked at his friend, he knew Miguel was just thinking what a pain in the ass he was being.

Miguel shoulder bumped him. "Never mind, buddy. We're all worn thin."

Lucas chewed his lip and blinked back tears. "Do you think Captain Bridger, Dr. Westphalen and Tim are alright?"

Just as Miguel opened his mouth to answer, a noise coming from the stairway by the curtain startled them. Miguel's eyes grew large, and Lucas quickly turned to see what he was looking at. Lucas' mouth dropped open when he saw Jonathan enter the top of the stair well.

"But…how…"

Miguel put a finger to his lips to silence him. "Hold that thought."

Lucas frowned as Miguel jumped to his feet and hurried towards Jonathan. Lucas furrowed his brow but followed, trying to stay low and as close to the wall as he could. Jonathan gave them both a relieved smile when he saw them.

"Thank God," said the dark-skinned man, reaching out to pat Lucas on the shoulder. "I figured when the lights came back on, you had something to do with it, Lucas. Good job!"

"I don't understand." Lucas still felt confused. He had no clue as to how Jonathan was back inside the room. Lucas shook him in wonderment.

"I'll explain later. Lucas, can you get that back door open again?"

Lucas nodded. "Yah, sure."

"Good. Do it now."

It was a plain and simple command that left no room for arguments. Lucas eyed the commander with suspicion. He knew exactly what the guy was thinking, and there was no way Lucas was going to comply.

"Commander, let's get Captain Bridger and Dr. Westphalen and Tim up here first, and we can get out together."

Jonathan grasped Lucas' arms tightly and gave him a shake. "Look, Lucas, for once, I need you to submit to an order. You have the means to get us out and that's what we need to do. Dosa isn't fooling around here. He's unpredictable." Jonathan held his arms so tightly it was pinching. Lucas knew Jonathan was dead serious. "You heard that shooting, right? Dosa just blew away another one of his own men!"

Lucas gasped. "B-but what about the captain?"

"The captain can take of himself, Lucas. You know that!" Jonathan's voice was extremely low, but Lucas felt sure he had never heard it so unyielding in all the time he had known the man. Jonathan shook him again, nearly making his teeth rattle. "Damn it, Lucas, just do as I say!"

Lucas felt tears burning in his eyes but he nodded. He cast a look at Miguel who was silently standing beside Jonathan.

Miguel shrugged his shoulders sympathetically. "We can't do it without you, Lucas." Lucas heard the encouragement in his voice. Miguel always tried his best to be kind and a voice of reason. Lucas knew Miguel was his friend and always had his back. Commander Ford was more the voice of authority and more difficult to warm up to and right now, Lucas felt bitter resentment towards him. Lucas walked carefully towards the control panel, avoiding the sharp equipment close by. He opened the panel and felt tears brim his eyes. He angrily wiped them away. _Who does he think he is? Always bossing everyone around._ Annoyed thoughts clouded Lucas' head as he stared at the panel. He knew exactly how to open the door. He just didn't agree with it being the best idea right now, not unless he could have the rest of the crew right here as well. They might only have one chance at this door. Lucas tossed a quick look over his shoulder, and he saw Miguel and Jonathan whispering. He sucked in his bottom lip and pulled at a few wires industriously. _I can do a lot of things from this panel, Commander; more than you realise, but I'm not opening that door._ Suddenly a waft of air swished across the stage as the air conditioning in the room came online loudly. Lucas jumped from the noise, not expecting it to be as loud as that.

"Lucas?" Jonathan glared at him.

Lucas shrugged. "I can't get..."

His words caught in his throat as his eyes widened at a blur of colour behind Commander Ford. Lucas felt his heart leap in his chest as a gunman appeared pointing his gun at Jonathan and Miguel. He glared at Lucas and motioned to him to come closer. Lucas felt the urge to run but remained frozen in place.

"Don't move," commanded the man.

Commander Ford and Miguel slowly raised their hands as they turned to see the man. Lucas saw Miguel mouth some words to him, but he was too frightened to concentrate on what was being lip-synced to him

"Get over here, kid. NOW!"

The gunman took a few stops towards Lucas, grabbing his shirt and roughly pulling him towards him. He wrapped one arm around Lucas' neck and pulled him in close. Lucas wrapped his hands around the guy's upper arm to try and pull him away. The man's grip was steadfast.

"Lemme go!"

"Don't do anything stupid." The man's voice was eerie.

"Don't hurt him," said Jonathan. "He's just a kid."

The gunman tightened his grip on Lucas' neck. Lucas could feel the man's arm trembling.

"Shut-up and get the hell back into the room!"

The man walked backwards, half dragging Lucas with him, while ushering Miguel and Jonathan towards the edge of the stage. Lucas looked out of the corner of his eye as the stage edge grew closer. _Just a few more steps, you idiot._ Lucas could feel his heart racing, and he felt like he was on the verge of hyperventilating. _Deep breaths…calm down…just a few more steps._

As they approached the edge, the gunman stopped briefly and motioned to Miguel and Commander Ford to jump to the floor. Lucas tried to twist his head to see if he could see the captain or Dosa but he couldn't.

"Jump now!"

"What the hell is going on up there, Hassan?"

Lucas felt himself being spun around as his captor turned towards the voice. He kept his gun on Miguel and Commander Ford. Lucas felt his lower lip quiver when he saw Dosa walk closer followed by Captain Bridger. The captain's face looked pale and bruised. The corners of his lips were bloody, as well as his nose. Terror began to overtake Lucas and he began to tremble forcefully. Lucas' breathing sped up as his eyes found Dr. Westphalen huddling under a table. The look on her face completely threw him off balance causing that full-blown panic feeling to set in. The adults in his life looked frightened and out of control; it was a terrifying sight to him. He depended on them to be his foundation and strength. He didn't think he could bear seeing them so hurt and vulnerable. In uncontrolled panic, Lucas swung his head backwards as hard as he could, bashing Hassan in the face. The man cursed in shock and pain as Lucas turned and kicked him in the groin as hard as he could, sending the man to his knees. In one fluid movement, Lucas reached out and shoved him off the stage. He saw the man land on the floor, hitting his head harshly on the linoleum. Lucas stood breathing hard in trepidation as Miguel and Jonathan rushed to his side to comfort him, but Lucas held his hands up to keep them at bay.

"Stay away!" he shouted. Lucas' eyes were wide in terror and he couldn't bear the thought of anyone touching him.

In that moment, Dosa raised his gun in the air and fired off a series of shots.

"That will be quite enough!" Lucas froze and looked down at Dosa. He had grabbed Captain Bridger by his injured shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain and shoved the barrel of the gun against his head.

"You," Dosa pointed at Commander Ford. "Bring that brat to me." Lucas saw the commander hesitate. "Don't test me, commander."

Lucas grasped as Commander Ford grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and led him off the stage to the terrorist. As he and the commander took the stairs down, he heard Dosa command Miguel to help Hassan up to his feet. Several harsh smacking sounds were heard. Lucas shivered, trying not to think about who was being smacked around this time.

"Stay calm, Lucas." He heard the commander say as the he loosened his grip on his shirt. Lucas knew the commander had no choice but to obey the command from Dosa. As they entered the closure of the stairs, briefly out the sight of Dosa, Jonathan released him. Lucas straightened his shirt and chewed his lip as he stared at the commander with big eyes.

"Use the fear, Lucas. Remember what I said to you when Schraeder commandeered SeaQuest? This isn't any different. Stay calm. You ok?" Lucas wasn't okay. This situation was extremely different. As much as he didn't want to let everyone down, he pretty much figured he already had. He felt defeated, but he nodded anyways. He didn't have any other choices. When Lucas and Ford entered the room from the stairwell, Miguel was laying on the floor with a bloodied lip. Hassan was wiping his own bloodied lip that had split when Lucas' bashed his head into it. Lucas gulped as Hassan took several threatening steps towards him.

"Please, he's just a kid." Lucas saw the captain raise his hands to stop Hassan from approaching him.

"Bridger, that _KID_ is a menace! He's out of control!" Dosa shoved Captain Bridger away from him and grabbed Lucas roughly by the scruff of the neck, shoving him to his knees on the floor. All the colour drained from Lucas' face as he looked up at Dosa. A mixture of pure terror and panic flooded his face.

"You better be scared, kid. When I'm through with you, you will be begging for mercy."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sam Sheppard mopped his brow with the back of his hand. The room felt overly warm to him. He stared at the wall without really seeing it. His head was assaulting him with a plethora of extraneous thoughts, and he wished he had a switch to turn it all off. He had reached his limit…his limit of rational thought… of caffeine…of everything. He was long past his breaking point. He was completely spent. He didn't even think he could string together logical sentences anymore. His tongue felt thick, like it didn't even belong in his mouth. He reached back and rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes, thinking about how good it would feel to take a hot shower and feel the hot water run over his tired, tense muscles. From the corner of his eye, he saw Commander Hitchcock leaning against her father's shoulder with her eyes closed. He envied the woman as he wished he could rest his eyes as well. Rick was leaning his head back but he wasn't asleep. The man's eyes were wide open and appeared to be lost in his own thoughts.

Sheppard blinked a few times, almost startled to consciousness, when Mitch Brady came running into the room out of breath. Sheppard groaned inwardly. He didn't feel like he had the patience to deal with civilians anymore today.

"The lights are back on!" said Mitch, a smile of relief on his face.

Commander Hitchcock seemed to jump to her feet from a sound sleep. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I was walking back from my car and I heard some of the SWAT guys say that the lights were back on."

Sheppard scratched his head. "Well, that's good news."

"They sounded surprised, Commander, so I don't think it was them."

"Lucas!" said Rick, standing to his feet as well.

"Could only be him!" Mitch ran a hand through his hair but looked more hopeful than the last time Sheppard had seen him.

"What else did you hear?" asked Katie, prompting him for more.

"They are poised to move. Fully geared up and snipers are positioned all over."

Sheppard took a few steps to the door way and glanced at the vid-link.

"No one is answering the link, and I haven't heard anything since the video was patched in. We heard more gunfire a few minutes ago." Sheppard saw Mitch's face fall and the cloud drain from his face.

Commander Hitchcock picked up the vid-link and handed it to him again.

"Call again." Her voice had a desperate edge to it.

Sheppard nodded and dialed again. He had tried 20 times since the video was patched in but there had been no answer. Twice since the video ended they had heard gunshots but still no one answered the link.

Everyone in the room seemed to wait on baited breath as the link rang again. This time, Sheppard was rewarded with Bridger's face on the link. Sheppard took several steps back to conceal the drawings and intel on the walls. He felt his breath quicken when he caught a good look at the captain's face. He looked up at the others in the room and ushered them to stay back. He didn't need anyone else to see the captain. His appearance would freak them out. The man's face was ashen and bruised, and Sheppard wasn't sure what was keeping him standing on his feet, other than sheer will power.

"Is Dosa satisfied with the video of Abdul's release?"

Before Bridger had time to open his mouth, Dosa leaned into the frame and nodded.

"I want my helicopter to take me to the same coordinates, Commander." Dosa squinted a wary eye at Sheppard and licked his lips.

"Promise me you will release the rest of the hostages unharmed, and I will do my best to get you that helicopter." Sheppard kept his face neutral and took in as much information as he could about Bridger and things he could see in the background. Keeping the vid-phone as steady as possible, he began jotting down notes in great detail. From the corner of his eye, he saw Commander Hitchcock peer around his shoulder. He scribbled on the paper "GET LOST." He pulled the sheet off carefully and casually let it fall to the floor beside him. The commander took a few steps away. _I don't need any observers, Commander. Keep away!_

Dosa gave him a wiry smile that sent chills up and down Sheppard's back. Something about the man was giving him the creeps. He looked too sure of himself all of sudden.

"I will leave the rest of the hostages behind relatively unscathed. I only have one loose end to tie up, and then I want that helicopter."

Sheppard saw Nathan's face change to sudden alarm. Dosa left the screen for several seconds and then came back. He panned the camera in on a table where someone was pinned down with his arm behind his back by another of Dosa's mercenaries. Sheppard sucked in a breath.

"What's going on, Mr. Dosa? Who is that?"

Dosa pulled on the hair of the hostage lying across the table until his face could be clearly seen. Sheppard felt his heart drop to the floor. _It's that kid! What is he going to do to that kid? No wonder Bridger is on the verge of panic._

"What's going on?"

Dosa pulled harder on the boy's blonde hair until he cried out and struggled to get his footing again. Dosa shook him harshly, turning him to face the vid-link. Sheppard's breath caught in his throat when he saw the boy's wild eyes. The kid looked like a feral animal. Sheppard wasn't sure he'd ever seen such a look on the face of a child before. Lucas was on the verge of losing his grip. He was beyond terrified.

"I'm about to teach this kid a lesson."

Sheppard saw Bridger's face flash red. _Stay calm, Bridger. Don't panic on me now. Keep it cool._

"I see the lights are back on finally. I worked hard to get them back on for you." _I need to get the attention off Lucas. He needs to concentrate on his escape. This thing needs to end now._

Dosa furrowed his brow and shook Lucas harshly. "This brat is the one responsible for your power issue, Commander." _Change the subject._

"My friend, Steve, is one of the best pilots I know, and he's agreed to drop you are the same coordinates at Abdul. Can you do me a favour, though?"

"What's that?"

Dosa cocked his head to one side at the mention of a favour. Sheppard thought he almost looked intrigued by the idea.

"Promise me that you will let Steve go unharmed once he's safely delivered you to your destination. He's a new dad, and he's a good friend of mine. Can you do that for me, Mr. Dosa?" _Make it real. Make it credible. Make him believe it will happen._

Dosa dropped his gaze to the floor and seemed to be considering the situation. _You're a real piece of work, Dosa. Considering my request like it would some kind of special favour or something._ Sheppard chewed the inside of his lip, knowing his face would look cryptic to Dosa. His head felt so muddled, he wasn't even sure how he was still able to form logical sentences. Maybe he couldn't. Then Dosa looked up with the most sincere look on his face.

"You have my word."

"Thank-you. Now, as a show of good faith, please release the boy and I'll have the helicopter land right outside the door."

Dosa looked past the vid-link towards where he had left Lucas pinned to the table. _Just let the boy go, Dosa. Come on, he's just a frightened kid, for Pete's sake._

"I will consider it, Commander, when I'm finished with him." A shiver ran down Sheppard's spine at the words, and he didn't know why. "The next time I see your face, I want it to be telling me my ride is here." Sheppard sucked in a frustrated breath when the link ended. He closed his eyes as he pounded the table and swiped off all the contents. The unending helplessness of the situation was killing him.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N Feeling much better today...went for a walk bright and early...spent a little time reflecting on the story (good use of time huh?) Now I could use a neck massage...any volunteers? C'mon, I'm cute! LOL**_

 _ **Okay...here is the next installment...enjoy with all my love *grin***_

 _ **xo**_

 _ **Jenny**_

Kristin covered her mouth, rocking herself back and forth. The tension in the room had reached a pinnacle. She looked at Tim, who had removed his glasses and was pinching the bridge of his nose. The two of them stared at each other in complete silence. Kristin willed herself to calm down as she listened to Dosa's voice echoing throughout the room. The man seemed to be in a supreme command mode. He was barking orders at his one remaining man, Hassan. The mercenary was fiercely pinning Lucas down. The boy was sprawled helplessly across a table. Kristin felt her heart beating in her throat knowing that Dosa was planning to beat Lucas again. Kristin couldn't bear the thought of it. Lucas wasn't even struggling this time. She took a deep breath and looked at Nathan. He looked defeated as he stood on Dosa's right side with the man's weapon trained on him. Jonathan and Miguel were on their knees in front of Dosa. Kristin sucked a breath in as Dosa swung his gun from Nathan to Jonathan and Miguel. Her pulse was beating so loudly in her own ears that she couldn't make out the words being said. Dosa looked manic. The tension just seemed to climb to a climax until Dosa cursed a streak of words and backhanded Jonathan in the face. The sheer force of the blow sent the man reeling backwards, smacking his head on the floor.

Kristin gasped. "NO!" She heard her voice scream out across the room and then she felt Tim's hand cover her mouth quickly.

"Shh, quiet!" Kristin could hear the admonishment in his voice. She resented it, pushing his hand away in a flash of anger.

"Lieutenant." Her voice had an air of warning in it. She didn't miss his look of surprise, and he quickly yanked his hand away. He seemed to be just as shocked at himself as she was. Kristin saw Tim cast a frightened look towards Dosa and heave a sigh of relief when the man appeared to not react to her scream. Dosa seemed to be too intent on what he was doing to notice them. Instead, he turned his attention to Miguel and quickly backhanded him as well. The terrorist seemed to be on a solo rampage, shouting and cursing.

"We have to help them." Kristin's voice came out like a frail whisper in the wind. The pain from her broken ribs made it difficult to breathe deeply, much less speak words louder than a whisper. She winced as she struggled to crawl forward. Once again, she felt Tim restrain her. She turned to look at him, again staring daggers at him. It was so unlike him to restrain her.

"Kindly let me go, Lieutenant." She made her voice very firm, perfectly expecting Tim to back off. Everything she knew about the man told her that he wasn't strong willed enough to stand up to her. He quickly surprised her.

"I can't do that, Doctor." Tim replaced his glasses and held firmly to her arm. "The captain wants me to keep you safe and out of harm's way. I intend to do just that. I must insist you stay here with me."

Kristin felt weak. Too weak to argue. She relented and continued to stare at Dosa. It took several more blows before Miguel succumbed to them and lay on the floor beside Jonathan. Kristin sucked in a breath as Dosa turned to Nathan. Nathan raised his hands in silent acquiescence. Kristin felt tears burn in her eyes. She felt completely and totally helpless when Dosa turned his attention back to Lucas. During the altercations, Hassan continued to forcefully hold Lucas firmly down against the table, and teenager hadn't moved a muscle. Kristin could scarcely see him breathing. She felt her heart rate increase as her head began to play tricks on her, forcing her to imagine that the boy had been injured even more severely than she realised. It was the only thing that made sense in her head. Why else wouldn't the teenager be squirming and struggling to get free of his captor? Guilt tore at her and fear gripped at her as she began to crawl forward, only to feel Tim restraining her once again.

"Tim, please, Lucas must be hurt. He hasn't moved."

"He's not, Doctor, at least not any worse than we already know. I think he's in shock. But your interference isn't going to help. Remember the last time? It just made things worse!" Tim's voice was soft but firm. Kristin choked back a sob and nodded. She knew he was right. There was nothing she could do to stop anything from happening. She was completely helpless to do anything. They were at Dosa's mercy, and the only one who'd had any luck with mercy was Nathan. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Doctor, all I can offer you is my faith." Kristin looked at him, blinking back tears. Tim closed his eyes and began to pray.

"Our Father, who art in heaven…"

Kristin put her hand on Tim's and squeezed it. She hadn't prayed in a long time, but she didn't know what else to do so she closed her eyes and joined in. "Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan drew in a long, haggard breath. He was weak. As each moment passed into the next, he felt weaker. He wondered what it meant when you couldn't feel the pain of a gunshot wound any longer. His shoulder felt numb now. It didn't even pulsate or throb like it had before. He felt weak in the knees as he stood watching Dosa pummel first Jonathan and then Miguel. Both men had withstood more than Nathan thought possible before succumbing to the blows. Feeling helpless, Nathan had to look away. He took comfort in the fact that his crew was still alive at least. Dosa could have chosen to just shoot them both, but for some reason he stopped killing and was getting some sort of sick pleasure out of beating people to a pulp instead. _Well, he had stopped killing hostages at any rate._ Nathan looked at Saleem briefly but had to look away _. Such a senseless waste of life._ It didn't matter to Nathan who it was; he hated to see human life wasted. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He needed to draw Dosa's attention back to reality and away from violence.

"Will you be joining your family right away?" said Nathan.

Nathan desperately searched his head for more wisps of conversation he could drag Dosa into to end his tirade before he turned his attention to Lucas. Nathan was more than a little concerned for the teen boy. He hadn't seen Lucas move a muscle since Hassan had forced him across the table. He was just lying there completely still. At one point, Nathan felt like panicking because he could hardly see the kid breathing. He had to concentrate very hard to see the boy's back rise and fall a few times giving him evidence that Lucas was alive and breathing, just very still. Even the gunman had stopped leaning so harshly on Lucas, perhaps letting his guard down a bit. Nathan frowned. Was that Lucas' plan? _Please, Lucas, don't do anything stupid. Hang in there, kiddo._

Dosa placed his foot on Miguel's unconscious form and rolled him over onto his back. He seemed to stare down at the fallen man with an odd expression on his face.

"He's so young, Bridger. Why does the UEO insist on taking children and putting them in this war?"

Nathan swallowed. He was at a loss for words as he looked at Miguel's pale face. _Come on, Nathan. Think. Miguel is still alive. Don't stop negotiating._

"You must miss your children." _Remind him that he has something to live for. He needs to focus on getting out. Leave the hostages alone, Dosa. Leave my crew alone! Damn it, Sheppard, ring the blasted vid-link and tell him he can leave._ Nathan felt his head swimming a bit, and he realised he was beginning to forget if he was thinking his thoughts or saying them out loud. His mind felt muddled.

Dosa wiped his forehead with the hand that held his gun. Nathan wondered how many more bullets were left in the weapon and how many times the man had reloaded it when Nathan wasn't looking. It felt like the man had an inexhaustible supply of ammo.

"I need to teach my sons to be strong leaders, Bridger. There is so much more they need to know before this war is over."

"I hear you. I have so much more I would like to teach my son as well. I want to tell him how much I love him and how proud I am of the man he is becoming." Nathan looked at Lucas and hoped that Lucas could hear his words. _I mean it, Lucas. I love you, kiddo. You are becoming a better man than I ever was at your age._

Dosa hesitated a moment and looked Nathan in the eye. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed his mouth again. Nathan couldn't place the expression on the man's face. He almost seemed perplexed but after several seconds, he looked away and stepped over Miguel and put his foot on Jonathan, rolling him over onto his back as well. Nathan sucked in a breath when he saw the blood seep onto the floor. Jonathan's 'nick" was much worse than he had let on, just as Nathan had suspected. His first in command hadn't let it be known. Jonathan was always perfectly poised and in control. Dosa slid his foot in the pool of blood absent-mindedly.

"Too much blood shed for nothing, Bridger." Dosa's face reddened as he took more steps away towards where Lucas laid. Nathan followed along, his heart rate increasing. _Think, Nathan. You have to keep him away from Lucas._

"I know. I pray that we can make this world a better place for our kids, Mr. Dosa. So our children won't need to shed their blood for our mistakes."

"What the hell do you think I'm doing here? Do you think I did this just for Ibrahim Singh and the People's Liberation Army?" Dosa laughed, shook his head and walked towards his man, Hassan, and nodded at him to step away. Hassan seemed to understand and stood to his full height, releasing his hold on Lucas. Lucas remained completely still. Nathan could easily see his back rising and falling with each breath now. It was rapid, indicating he was frightened. He could see that it visually picked up as Dosa had come closer to him.

"Kids like Adam here have no idea what it's like to suffer for a cause." Dosa slapped Lucas' back harshly causing the boy to startle. Nathan saw Lucas clench his fists. "You have no idea, do you Adam? You're so damned spoiled by your rich-ass parents, given every possible luxury and left to do whatever the hell you want. Isn't that so, Adam?" Dosa slammed Lucas again on the back, but this time he didn't flinch. Nathan sucked in a harsh breath. His heart was breaking for the teen. Dosa couldn't have been more wrong about Lucas, but no one would be able to explain it to the lunatic.

"Kids like Adam here have been raised to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. They haven't had to work for anything!" Dosa fingered his belt while staring into space. "You think the world owes you something in return for your existence, don't you, kid?"

"You don't know that for sure, Mr. Dosa. We have no clue about this child. We don't know how his parents have raised him. He might be just like our kids."

Dosa looked at Nathan. "Rubbish, Bridger. I don't believe it. He's been nothing but trouble since we found him lurking on the stage. He's just like all those kids out there that think they are above the rest of us." Dosa slammed Lucas again, this time with his fist. Still the kid didn't flinch, but Nathan saw the boy's fist clench tighter. Nathan licked his lips, blinking hard. "I'll tell you what, Bridger, let's you and I have a little chat, one father to another."

Nathan furrowed his brow but nodded quietly. Lucas lay still across the table, not moving. Nathan's heart was breaking while Dosa tapped his fingers on the table.

"What do you think I should do with him, Bridger?"

"I think you should just leave him alone. He's frightened. I'm fairly sure he is only reacting out of that fear."

Dosa laughed loudly which made Nathan jump in spite of himself.

"This is why your son lies to you. You're too soft! Making excuses for him like a woman." Dosa shook his head in disgust and looked towards his man. "What do you think I should do with him, Hassan?"

Nathan saw the other terrorist's eyes darken as he put a hand to the back of his head. Nathan didn't need to know what the man was thinking. It was obvious he was still licking his wounds from when Lucas overcame him and knocked him off the stage.

"Knock his head off for all I care. I've had enough of this, Syed." Hassan strode towards where Saleem lay on the floor. He stooped and picked up Saleem's weapon and shoved it in the back of the waist of his pants. A solemn look flooded his face.

"I never signed up to watch our friends die. Let's finish this."

Hassan ran a hand through his hair and fiddled with the weapon in his hand. He let out a harsh breath and then looked at Dosa. "Just kill him and be done with it, Syed. That's my vote."

Dosa rose to his feet and approached Hassan, all the while keeping his gun on Nathan. Nathan understood he message loud and clear.

"Saleem jumped me, Hassan. I never intended to kill him."

Hassan groaned in response. "Ibrahim is depending on you to do your duty. He picked you because he trusted you to do the right thing. Abdul is free, now let's finish the job."

Nathan saw the man fidget with his weapon, but Dosa put a hand on it and pushed it downwards towards the floor. Hassan heaved a sigh of acquiescence.

"We do this my way, Hassan, and maybe we all get out alive."

Hassan shook his head. "You're a fool, Syed."

Dosa sighed in frustration. Nathan's mouth twitched slightly as Dosa approached him once again. He saw Lucas flinch as Dosa bumped against the table. The tension in the air was so thick, you could slice it with a knife.

"My money says this kid took out the lights. He fiddled around with the control panel and put us in the dark. Help me out here, Bridger. What did do you think?"

Nathan shook his head, panic rising to the surface. There was no way Lucas could have messed with the power. Dosa had beaten him mercilessly just before the lights went out. Lucas was right in the room with them. Couldn't this lunatic keep his facts straight?

"NO, Mr. Dosa. Adam was in the room when the lights went out. Remember?"

Dosa frowned as he glared at Bridger. It seemed to Nathan like he was trying to remember events but was having a difficult time. Everyone was operating on little to no sleep, not to mention very little food since they had all been drugged. _When was the last time we had anything to eat?_ Nathan couldn't remember but he did know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lucas was in the room when the lights went out.

"The little brat was messing with the control panel when I caught him on the stage. I'm telling you, Syed, he did something." Hassan's voice was insistent.

Hassan grabbed Lucas by the back of his hair and pulled him off the table to his feet. Nathan got a good look at the young teen's frightened face when he was pulled to his feet. Lucas stumbled to gain his footing and glared at Dosa and Hassan. Nathan stifled a gasp when he saw Lucas' eyes. He had only seen that look one other time and it wasn't on the face of a child. It was a look of complete and total hopelessness and desperation. Lucas had reached the end of his rope. Nathan felt his pulse rapidly increase when he saw Lucas mouth the words White Alpha to him. His blood ran cold in his veins.

Dosa took a few steps closer to Lucas and undid his belt, threateningly. He slowly removed it from his waist. Nathan saw Lucas recoil. _Oh, kid, hang in there. Don't lose it, pal. I know you have reached the end of yourself, but hang in there. We are so close, Lucas. We will make it, kiddo, I promise._

"What did you do, boy?" Dosa doubled up the belt and snapped it ominously.

"N-nothing, I swear." Lucas' lips were trembling.

Dosa grabbed his arm roughly and shook him. "I said what did you do?"

"I-I just w-wanted to see if I could see stuff in the panel. I didn't knock out the power, please, you've got to believe me…it came on when I was there…I…"

"Mr. Dosa, I believe the kid. He's just a boy. There's no way in hell he would know how to alter anything in a control panel. C'mon, _let's_ focus our energy on getting ready to leave this room." _Take his attention off Lucas._ "How can I help you? Do you have a plan on how you want this to go down? I am willing to go with you. Take me as your hostage."

Dosa looked at him, seeming to ponder on it for a few minutes, releasing his grip on Lucas' arm. It appeared like the man was softening somewhat.

Hassan stepped in front of Dosa. "I'm telling you, that kid did something, Syed. I saw him messing around in that control panel, and he knew exactly what he was doing! Stop listening to him! That old codger is playing you for a fool."

Dosa blinked a few times. Suspicion radiated on his face. Suddenly he pointed his weapon at Nathan.

"Sit down, Bridger, and allow me to enlighten you on how things are going to play out." Dosa looked up and around the room. Nathan followed his line of vision as he sat at the closest table. Dosa's eyes rested on the rest of the hostages cowering in the corner. Last count, Nathan figured there were roughly 25 men left uninjured physically. Every one of them had been forever impacted mentally and emotionally. No one in the room would ever be the same again after this nightmare. Nathan felt his hands trembling as he looked at Lucas again. Lucas' eyes were pleading with him, and the look was killing Nathan. He hadn't felt this helpless since his wife, Carol, died. Nathan pressed his lips together as he looked at Dosa again. He couldn't read Dosa's expression any longer. His countenance could only be described as dark and unpredictable and that left Nathan feeling unsettled and anxious. _C'mon, Nathan, this has gone on long enough. Do something. Stop being such a coward and end this. Something has to give. Think! There are only two terrorists left: Dosa and his man, Hassan._

Dosa shoved Lucas to his knees, and Nathan heard him gasp in pain.

"As soon as Sheppard calls, we're getting out of here. The rest of the hostages can stay, but this kid is going with me. He's worth more to me than all of you."

"Let him go, Dosa. Take me instead. Kids are unpredictable."

Dosa grabbed Lucas by the hair causing him to cry out. He pulled him to his feet and forced him over a table again. Nathan's heart jumped into this throat.

"Oh, don't you worry, Bridger; by the time I'm finished with this boy, he'll do exactly what he's told." Dosa's eyes flickered as he tightened his hand around his belt.

Nathan stood to his feet but was too late. Dosa wound up and brought the belt down on Lucas fiercely. Lucas reeled his head back, shouting out in anguish. Dosa continued raining down the blows without giving the kid time to recover from them. Nathan saw Lucas clench his fists together and put his forehead on the table, rolling his head back and forth. Blow after blow rained down upon him until his screams became sobs and his sobs became whimpers. Nathan felt something snap within him.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas looked at himself and frowned. It was an odd sensation. Frankly, being a student of science, it kind of fascinated him. He could see Dosa mercilessly beating him, but he couldn't feel anything. It was almost entertaining in a sadistic sort of way to watch the man working himself up into a sweat as he continually whipped him. Lucas could not feel a thing, in fact he felt numb. He found himself looking around the room and taking stock of the situation. Hostages were staring in utter shock as Dosa kept up his assault. No one seemed to be able to take their eyes away, and no one was able to do anything about it. People's faces were frozen in revulsion and abhorrence. Lucas could see Dr. Westphalen watching in unmitigated repugnance, literally being held back by Tim forcefully. Tim's face was red, and his hands were white. The man was using all his strength to hold her back. Lucas knew that Tim was, for all intents and purposes, saving her life. If she was to come to his assistance, at this point, Lucas felt sure Dosa would blow her to kingdom come. They had reached the end of everything at this point. Dosa had nothing left to lose or gain. He was just biding his time until he could achieve his escape. Lucas felt sure that the whole escape idea was a ruse anyways. There was no way in hell Sheppard was going to let the madman escape. Dosa has been fooled into a false sense of hope.

Lucas closed his eyes and tried to refocus himself when he saw the pile of dead hostages in the centre of the room. He'd forgotten they were there. He shook his head and tightened his fists, all the while glancing at himself whimpering as the belt continued to assault his backend. He squint an eye in confusion, wondering once again why he was watching it, rather than experiencing it. He must have been having some kind of dissociative experience. The idea would have fascinated him if he wasn't so shaken by it. _I have truly lost my sanity. I always wondered how much it would take to make a sane human go over the edge. I guess I have reached my breaking point. Well, isn't this worth a doctorate? My father would be impressed, that is he would if he cared about me._ Lucas rolled his eyes at his own muse. Here he was being beaten to a pulp, or rather his backside was, and he was thinking about an idea for a thesis paper for his doctorate. _You really are a nerd, Lucas._

Several particularly harsh and severe blows landed on him, causing Lucas to wince at the sight of it. He couldn't feel it, nor did he associate himself with the teenager being beaten. He just knew it was in fact him. _GEEZ, that's gonna hurt like hell in the morning._ Lucas' turned his eyes from himself and looked towards Captain Bridger. Suddenly his inward agony increased. He didn't feel pain from the beating; he felt pain because of the look on the man's face. The captain looked horrified beyond all Lucas had ever seen before. His face was white, yet his lower neck was bright red. The colour seemed to be creeping up his face slowly. The man was clenching his jaw and his fists as he slowly rose to his feet. Lucas sucked in a harsh breath and reached out to stop the man from getting to his feet. But his hands went right through him. _Oh, crap, this is not cool._ Lucas felt desperate to stop the man he saw as his father from creeping forward. It was like the captain had also lost his mind and was operating without thought. Lucas could see Hassan's eyes widen as he caught sight of Captain Bridger's movements.

 _"Lucas."_

 _Lucas spun around with a surprised look on his face._

 _"Captain?"_

 _The captain walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Lucas could feel it like it was real, yet when he turned to look forward, he could still see the captain creeping towards Dosa with Hassam watching his every move. None of it made any sense. If Hassan could see the captain moving towards Dosa, why didn't he immediately stop him? Did Hassan want Dosa dead?_

 _"I d-don't understand."_

 _The captain patted him with a smile. "I would never let anything happen to you, Lucas."_

 _"B-but, sir, I'm fine…please make yourself go back."_

 _The captain put up a hand to forestall him from saying anything further._

 _"I need to put a stop to this, Lucas. It's gone on long enough."_

 _"Hassan can see you, Captain. Look! He has a gun. He's gonna shoot you!"_

 _"Lucas, listen to me. Lucas…" Lucas felt the captain pull his chin towards him and force his eyes to look at him rather than the scene playing out in front of them. "Look at me, kiddo." Lucas swallowed hard but looked into the captain's gentle eyes. "I'm going to end this now. You just hang in there a little longer, okay? You'll be safe soon. I promise you."_

 _Lucas felt himself drifting as he listened to the gentle voice of the man he loved so dearly, the man he had come to trust with every fibre of his being. Lucas blinked his eyes as the image of the captain began to fade._

 _"Captain? Captain!"_

Lucas felt an intensifying burning sensation radiating over his entire backside. It felt equally as bad as when Franklin Wise had beaten him. The escalating pain made him rear up suddenly, and he felt the back of his head impact with something hard. He heard Dosa curse and then Dosa shoved him back downwards again. Before Lucas could be completely forced back, he managed to put his hands under his chest, and he pushed back as hard as he could, managing to scramble to his feet. The action seemed to startle Dosa giving Lucas the opportunity to slip to the floor, scurrying out of the terrorists reach. Lucas gasped when he looked up and saw the Captain jump Dosa, knocking him to the ground. Both men struggled, throwing sickening punches at each other.

"Captain!"

Lucas screamed the man's name in desperation as he saw Hassan lift his weapon and aim at him.

"NO!"

Lucas jumped to his feet and threw himself at Hassan in a desperate moment, trying to wrestle the gun away. He heard screams and shouts radiate throughout the room. Everything became a huge blur as loud sounds permeated the room. Lucas' heart almost exploded in his chest as Hassan took the high ground and everything went black.


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N Sorry this has taken so long to get up...thanks for your patience. This week has been busy.**_

 _ **Tomorrow is my daughter's 16th birthday! I've been busy baking, cleaning and getting ready for family. Plus she had a huge birthday bash with her friends Friday night.**_

 ** _My hubby and I also celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary tomorrow as well. Yep, my baby girl was born on our first anniversary._**

 ** _How can I be a momma to a 16 year old? I remember when I was 16!_**

 ** _I feel old but I'm not...and in other news...hmmm, nope, I better wait to tell you. All in good time...for some reason I like secrets! But now I know why I was feeling ill the last month. :)_**

 ** _And here is the next chapter..._**

Katie's clear blue eyes swam with tears as she rested her head on her knees. She was sitting outside on the curb by herself, trying to force herself to remain positive and calm despite her rising feelings of panic and despair. She was acutely aware of the activity around her. It felt beyond surreal to be sitting in the parking lot, seeing men dressed in Kevlar body armour, carrying large shields and fatal weaponry getting ready to infiltrate a room with the intent of killing. Possibly causing the deaths of people she knew and loved. It was like some kind of really bad reality show. Katie knew that the negotiation process had long since broken down. Sheppard was doing his best to keep the communication channels open, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep Dosa engaged. The last time Sheppard had spoken with Dosa had significantly troubled Katie. Sheppard refused to discuss much of anything with her or even her father afterwards. But the look in Sheppard's eyes when he saw Captain Bridger spoke volumes to Katie and raked shivers up and down her spine. Katie knew deep down that things were not progressing well at all. Katie chewed her bottom lip pensively as she reached for a small stone on the ground. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when she scratched Ben's name on the curb where she sat. Her thoughts might have turned to Ben if the sudden unexpected activity hadn't caught her attention.

Katie raised her head startled to see a small group of SWAT personnel rapidly moving towards the side entrance of the building. She felt her heart rate pick up as she rose to her feet. She furrowed her brow as panic gripped her further. _What's going on?_ Katie hiked up her long skirt and headed towards one of the tactical commanders. She made herself as formidable as possible given her current state of dress. She knew she looked like a civilian. That in itself was bad enough, but she also knew she was going to be brushed off hastily because she was a woman. It happened to her more times than she could count; it bothered the hell out of her but, on some level, she was used to it. But the fact that she was UEO and SWAT couldn't care less about UEO sanctions also played into things.

"What's happening?" She kept her voice soft but commanding.

The tactical officer looked up for a split second and squint an annoyed, suspicious eye at her.

"What the heck?" His voice was brusque. "Where did you come from? Lady, stay back. You shouldn't even be past the perimeter." His facial expressions were not the least patient or friendly.

Katie sighed. _Just as I suspected. Same ole obnoxious crap._ "My name is Lieutenant Commander Hitchcock …"

The officer shook his head as he raised his hand to stop her, aggravation written all over his face. His exasperated demeanor did not change, despite her revealing who she was. She hadn't expected it would.

"Commander, I don't particularly care who you are. Right now, I'm telling you to back the hell off. We have a job to do and you're interfering. If you can't remove yourself from the premises immediately, I will have you removed."

Katie's eyes widened at the man's abrupt outburst. Without a doubt, tensions were high. The guy was wound up tight as a drum. She understood how the man must be feeling, and she tried to not let his gruffness rub her the wrong way. She'd experienced the emotional upheaval many times while on SeaQuest, especially when a lower ranked officer or civilian poked their nose where it didn't belong. But in this case, Katie felt like she had the right to know. She needed to know. She cleared her throat softly and took a deep breath, showing her best formidable countenance.

She pointed her finger at him. "Look, I don't care who _you_ are either, but this Summit conference was under the jurisdiction of the UEO. The civilian facet was granted to you because of the private citizens involved, but some of out best people are in there. Furthermore, I'm the senior officer in charge and the captain and crew of the flagship, SeaQuest, are in that damned room! I demand you tell me what's happening right now."

The man's eyes flashed angrily at her as he finished adjusting his body armour. "Commander, tighten your pretty little belt, watch your six and get the hell out of the way. All your wise-assed UEO negotiations didn't work. Now it's time for the adults to step in and take over."

With those final words, he roughly pushed past her and headed towards the entrance to the building. _Why that arrogant son of…_ Katie's jaw dropped as all hell seemed to break loose before her eyes. She stood watching, feeling helpless, as she witnessed groups of armoured men and women entering the building. They were filing into the front entrance, the side entrance and climbing the roof of the building. Her blood ran cold as she began to understand what was happening. The tactical forces had been given the command to move and storm the room from several different locations at once. Katie quickly began to search her mind for the whereabouts of each of the crew from the last checkpoint. Sheppard had kept updating everything on the walls in the control room. _Sheppard! He doesn't know that his negotiation efforts have been permanently disbanded. He needs to be put in the know. I've got to warn him._

Katie forced herself to stay calm as she took off towards the building. Several of the men on the tactical teams tried to restrain her as she forced her way inside the building. They just saw her as interference to their goal. But Katie had a mission and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her if she had any say in the matter. Suddenly, a large man dressed in full body armour and mask grabbed her firmly, picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. Katie gasped in shock at first and then started shouting at him.

"Let me down, dammit!" She pounded her fists on his back, but her actions did nothing to dissuade the man from dragging her back out of the building.

"Who is that, Mitchell?" came a deep voice from behind her.

"Have no clue, Cam, but I'm dumping her outside the door," said the man holding her against her will.

"How the hell did a civilian manage to get past the boundaries?" said another angry, annoyed voice.

"Put me down!"

Katie continued to pummel the back of the large, armoured man holding her. She felt angry and humiliated and gasped when he plopped her on the ground outside the door.

The officer glared at her with a no nonsense look on his face. "Keep back, ma'am." The man softened slightly when he saw her expression. "SWAT is taking that room."

With those words, he swung on his heel and disappeared back into the crowd of officers filing into the building. Katie hiked up her skirt again and immediately forced her way back. She gasped when the same man picked her up once again, this time not as gently.

"Hey, put her down!" demanded a voice. Katie felt her heart beating wildly in her chest when she saw Mitch Brady approach the tactical officer. Mitch looked fierce as he stood his ground against the man holding her. "She's a UEO marine and she has clearance to be here." The officer hesitated a few moments and then set Katie back on her feet.

"What the hell is going on?" Katie was past her point of furious now. She had been manhandled one too many times.

"Our Intel says the terrorists are dead."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sam Sheppard kept ringing the vid-link. It had been over twenty minutes since he'd heard an unprecedented amount of gunfire. It sounded like a war had broken out in there. It was enough to make blood run cold. The civilian, Mitch Brady, had bolted from the room in search of Commander Hitchcock. Rick Hitchcock was frantically skimming over all that they knew about the terrorists, looking for something useful they may have missed. They had reached the point of desperation. They were completely blind to what was going on in the room and no one was answering the vid-link.

"Son of…"

Sheppard was about to curse a blue streak out of utter frustration and helplessness just as the vid-link finally jumped to life. Sheppard sucked in a shocked breath when he saw the haunted blue eyes of the youngster gaping at him. The Wolenczak kid! The frightened face was completely covered in blood, so much so that he could hardly recognise the teenager. It looked like someone had really worked the kid over.

"Lucas?"

The boy's lips were trembling and tears were streaming down his cheeks. He was choking back sobs and trying to communicate something but couldn't seem to spit out anything coherent.

"You ok, kid?"

The teen shook his head and ran one bloodied hand through his hair, streaking his blond hair with crimson. The kid's hand was shaking so badly that the vid-link was wavering.

"Lucas, take a deep breath, buddy and talk to me." Sheppard tried to use his fatherly voice to calm the boy. "Tell me what's going on in there?"

Sheppard saw Lucas look around the room and make motions with his hand but nothing intelligible came off his lips. He kept opening and closing his mouth. _He reminds me of a fish._ If Sheppard hadn't been so horrified by the boy's appearance, he might have been tempted to laugh.

"Sheppard, Tactical is moving in now!" shouted a loud voice from the hallway.

Sam's eyes grew large at the information. _Hell, no!_ He spun on his heel to see Commander Hitchcock come running into the room, followed by the scientist. She froze when she saw Lucas' face in the vid-link. _Damn it, Sam. You shouldn't have let her see him._

"Oh God, Lucas! What's going on?"

The familiarity of the commander's voice seemed to unlock the kid, and his eyes grew large in recognition, and he started screaming. The whole vid-link was shaking violently. Sheppard could hear voices crying and moaning in the background. He could also hear men's voices shouting at each other in a foreign language. _Dosa?_

"He's dead. There're all dead!" Lucas' voice mumbled and choked out the words. Sheppard wasn't sure he had heard the kid correctly. _Whose dead, kid? Come on, calm down and tell me what's happening in that room._ Sheppard attempted to gather his wits to continue talking to the frightened teen but as he did, he saw the colour drain from the commander's face. She stared at the young boy on the vid-link. Sheppard imagined she was thinking the worst at the moment, but within several seconds she seemed to collect herself. Resolution and determination flooded her features as she shoved Sheppard aside and gazed at Lucas with her crystal blue eyes firm. Sheppard stood speechless.

"Lucas, you need to listen to me, okay? Find a safe spot to hide right now! Tactical is going to take that room by force. Go Lucas! Hide!" Sheppard saw the kid's eyes widen in horror at the commander's words and the link dropped to the floor.

"Dammit it, Commander! Why'd you do that?" Sheppard felt furious. He wanted to know what was going on in that room, and the kid had been his only link. "We need to know what's going on!"

"Not at Lucas' expense!" The commander shouted at him. "Did you see him? He's been beaten to a pulp. He's terrified. He's just a boy, for crying out loud!" Sheppard saw her hand shaking as she put it over her mouth to stifle a sob. The colonel came up behind her and wrapped her in an embrace. She didn't hesitate to melt into it, visibly shaken.

"I know, Commander, but he was our only link…"

Rick Hitchcock shook his head as he held his daughter. "It's over, Sam."

Everyone in the room stood staring at the vid-link that only had a view of the hostage room floor. While the link only afforded them a view of empty space, their ears were assaulted by frightened voices, gunfire, more shouts and then silence.

"The hell it is!" shouted Mitch, and tore out of the room.

Commander Hitchcock lurched forward, "Mitch, come back!"

Sheppard saw the colonel hold fast to his daughter. "Leave him alone, Katherine. He needs to deal with things in his own way."

"But, dad…"

The colonel gave her a stern shake. "No buts, Katherine."

Sam Sheppard's hands quivered as he held the communication link in his hands. Hostage negotiation was intensely focused and stressful, requiring the use of virtually every crisis intervention strategy known to psychology and law enforcement. Inherently, he knew he had done everything he could, but he still felt like a complete failure. He felt a warm hand touch his shoulder, and he looked up to see Rick Hitchcock give him a weak smile.

"Sam, you did the best you could."

Sam shook his head, feeling tears sting his eyes. He blinked them back. Setting the link on the table, he walked from the room.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan thought he might lose his mind. Never before had he ever witnessed someone beat a child so callously. The whole scene playing out before him was beyond unbelievable. He'd read about parents abusing their children before. He'd seen people smack a misbehaving kid in public. It bothered him to some extent but THIS? This was past the point of being anywhere near normal behaviour. Nathan had known that Franklin Wise beat his kids and Lucas too. But he'd never seen it happen. None of that felt as real to him as seeing it happen before his eyes and feeling useless to stop it. Dosa kept flailing the belt down on Lucas without giving the kid time to breath. Being forced to stand by while a maniac whipped the crap out of the youngster was literally ripping his heart out. _You have to keep it together, Nathan. You can't lose it. THE HELL I CAN'T!_ Before Nathan had time to think another thought, he was stunned to see Lucas rear his head up with an ear-piercing shriek. The teenager wildly bashed the back of his head into Dosa's mouth, bloodying his lip. The terrorist cursed bitterly as he shoved the kid down viciously, whipping him with more force. Lucas cried out again and Nathan noticed blood seeping through the boy's clothing. The sight of it caused something to snap within Nathan. Days later when the incident was over, Nathan would never be able to recall what pushed him over the edge, but in that one brief moment of insanity, Nathan bawled up his fists and threw himself at Dosa. Dosa never expected it and never saw it coming. Captain Nathan Bridger was not a man to be reckoned with when he lost his cool. All his military training in combat and self defense took over, and Nathan proceeded to pound the living day lights out of Dosa. The weapon Dosa held went flying across the floor. Nathan kept the high ground as he continued to pummel the terrorist oblivious to the threat behind him. He never saw the blow that caught him on the back of the head, knocking him into darkness.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas collapsed to the floor and crawled for cover. He was shaking all over, but the commander said he should hide, and it made sense to obey her. Maybe if he had obeyed orders in the first place, none of this would have happened. _Did the commander know everyone was dead now? Did she know that Hassan had opened fire on the room and killed all the hostages?_ Lucas trembled as he used the pile of dead hostages to shelter himself. He was too terrified to digest what he was seeing anymore. All he could focus on was Dosa and Hassan screaming at each other. His head felt so muddled that he couldn't force himself to interpret their words anymore. _I wish Tim were here. He'd know what they're saying._ The words sounded distant and hollow in his ears. Captain Bridger was lying deathly still where Hassan had clubbed him with the blunt end of his gun. The man hadn't moved since he hit the floor. _H-he's dead!_ Lucas choked back sobs as he wrapped his hands around his legs for comfort. He'd tried to warn the captain that Hassam saw him and was going to attack. Lucas had tried to fight Hassan off but the larger man was too strong. Lucas had punched, kicked and bitten the man in desperate retaliation but it was for naught. Hassan had easily shoved him to the ground and punched him viciously until Lucas thought his brain would rattle out of his ears. The severity of the pain radiating from his back and lower torso was unbearable, making Lucas considerably weaker in concentration and strength. Eventually Hassan overpowered him by wrapping his hands around his neck and choking him. Lucas remembered staring up at the lunatic as Hassan glowered down at him, gritting his teeth in fury. The man had said nothing but just scowled at Lucas as everything faded to black.

When Lucas woke up, he saw Captain Bridger was just lying there. Lucas crawled to the man, shaking him but the man he loved like a father remained lifeless. Lucas had tried to feel for a pulse but his hands were shaking so badly, he couldn't feel anything but unparalleled terror. He wasn't sure how long he knelt shaking the captain before he had the fortitude to grab the vid- link. He had dialed out, hoping to get help; he'd reached the end of what he could feasibly cope with. He felt certain that the captain was dead, and he was alone in the room with the armed terrorists. The commander's words about the tactical units taking over didn't help. _I'm gonna die._ Tactical teams would infiltrate the room and, if by chance, anyone was still alive, they were all going to die. Commander Hitchcock had said to hide so he crawled as fast and far away as he could, finding himself hiding with a pile of dead bodies. _What's going to happen to me now?_ Lucas couldn't stop the tremors that were radiating throughout his body. He soon became vaguely aware of the wet, sticky pool of blood he was sitting in now. The abhorrent horror of the circumstances was beyond his comprehension. He felt numb as his teeth chattered and his body continued to ripple with violent tremors. He looked at the ground and poked a finger in the congealed blood. As he traced his finger in the sticky substance, he felt himself being grabbed from behind. His eyes flew open in alarm as he flailed at his invisible assailant. He felt the cold, blunt butt tip of a gun press firmly against his head. Lips trembling, he closed his eyes and found himself hoping death would come painlessly.

"Don't move, kid or I will blow your friggen head off!"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin heard Tim's heart beating in her ear as the man sprawled himself over top of her once the gunfire began. She'd closed her eyes, holding her breath and biting her tongue to keep from screaming out. Reaching out trembling hands, she tried to push him up and off her. Considering he was a slight man, his weight still felt like it was crushing her.

"Tim, get off me."

"Not yet," came the firm reply.

"The shots have stopped, Tim."

"Hassan just opened fire on the hostages, Doctor. Stay down so he doesn't see us." Kristin found herself shocked by Lt. O'Neill's persistence. He had taken command and refused to listen to her words. She continued to stubbornly protest only to earn a gentle hand over her mouth. She glanced up at him in irritation to see an apologetic look cross his face but his hand remained firmly in place. Several minutes later, Kristin felt Tim slide his body off her. She recognised in that moment that he'd made himself a human shield to protect her. Kristin was speechless and too shaken to even know how to process it.

"Please forgive me, Doctor. Are you alright?"

Kristin nodded and attempted to sit up but Tim held her back.

"Stay down. Captain Bridger warned me to keep you away from the other hostages. I think he had a suspicion this would happen."

"Where is Nathan?"

Kristin had been watching in horrified disgust as Dosa was whipping Lucas. It had brought on waves of nausea mixed with unbridled anger. The only thing that had kept her from attacking the terrorist was Tim's strong, unwavering arms holding her in place. She had wildly tried to break free to no avail. Tim had stubbornly refused to let her go. She hated to admit it but Tim had probably saved her life. Hassan had boldly stood to his feet and opened fire on the room, killing the most of the rest of the hostages. Tim had all but crushed her to keep her from being hit.

Kristin's eyes frantically searched the room and her heart rate increased when she saw Nathan lying still on the floor by the stage. Dosa and Hassan were standing close by arguing in their native tongue. _NATHAN! Oh God, please be alright._ Kristin felt her whole body began to shake as her mind assaulted her with possible reasons why Nathan was lying so still.

"I see him. He's hurt, Tim. I have to get to him." Kristin started to move forward but again was held back by the lieutenant. She glanced back at Tim who was chewing on his lip and glancing at the ceiling.

"Tim." She said his name again, trying desperately to free herself from his iron grip on her arm. "I said I see the captain and he's hurt. Let me go to him."

Tim continued staring at the ceiling. "Doctor, on my mark, I want you to crawl as fast as you can towards that body pile. Do you hear me?"

"Lieutenant?" Kristin looked at him dumbfounded.

Tim clutched her arm tighter while pointing up at the ceiling. "SWAT."

Kristin's jaw dropped as she saw the cover to the ceiling vent being removed and a man peering down. In a moment of panic, Kristin yanked her arm away and immediately crawled towards Nathan. Just as she reached him, all bedlam broke loose in the room. Kristin crouched beside Nathan as the room flooded with tactical personnel who seemed to appear from every which direction. Her hand was shaking as she felt for Nathan's pulse. _Don't leave me here alone, Nathan Bridger! I need you!_ She held her breath as her fingers found his carotid artery and searched for a pulse. She heaved a sigh of relief when she felt a strong, steady beat beneath her fingers. _Thank God._ Kristin tried to stay low as she heard the commotion ramping up around her. Her only focus was finding out if Nathan was alright. She carefully rolled him into the recovery position while checking for injuries. His shoulder was still weeping blood but not so badly that she felt the need to attend to it further. Her hand felt something warm and sticky as she felt around his head. She gasped when she discovered that he had taken a bad blow to the head. The back of his head was bleeding profusely. She shivered as she reminded herself that injuries to the head always bled a lot and that the amount of blood had no bearing on how hurt he was. _Calm down, Kristin. Take a deep breath. His pulse is strong. He has a head wound but he's breathing._

Kristin gently tapped him on the cheek. "Nathan, wake up." All her medical training was screaming at her to not jar him or slap him, but she ignored it as she slapped his cheek. _What do you teach your students, Kristin?_ But her fear was winning. She needed Nathan to wake up.

"Nathan, please. I need you."

Angry shouts and screams captured her attention as she held Nathan close to her. Her mouth gaped open in disbelief as realised that the room was filled with heavily armed SWAT. Dosa and Hassan were in a stalemate with several of the men. Kristin was horrified to see Dosa holding an unconscious Miguel in his arms with a gun to his head. Hassan had his gun up, looking like a cornered viper. His eyes were manic, and he was poised to shoot anyone or anything that moved.

"Put the gun down!" shouted one of the tactical commanders. "You're surrounded. This is going to happen one of two ways, fellas. You can walk out of here and see your family again, or you can leave in a body bag. Makes no damned difference to me!"

Kristin drew in a sharp breath as she kept herself low to the ground beside Nathan. She didn't want to be seen. She kept shaking him, feeling frantic. _C'mon, Nathan, wake up!_ Every part of her wanted to drag Nathan to safety but she dared not move. She glanced back at Tim who sat frozen where she'd left him. He was shaking his head at her almost like he could read her mind that she wanted to move. She could see his lips moving but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Then she froze. Her hand flew to her mouth as her scream echoed throughout the room. The gunman, Zain, which they had knocked out earlier, was walking towards them with his arm wrapped around Lucas' neck, holding a gun to his blonde head.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note:**

 **Hi faithful readers...sorry it's taken me so long to update. This one is a little shorter than normal too.**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

 **Love,**

 **Jenny Wrens :)**

Sheppard had seen the negative fallout of hostage situations hundreds of times during his years as a hostage negotiator. He knew that once the communication fell apart, the outcome ended up being a blood bath. Sam Sheppard expected no less this time. He couldn't decide if he was annoyed or just disillusioned. He felt like a complete failure, he knew that for certain. He wandered down the hallway towards the Summit room. He expected a quick resolution of the situation. However, the tension in the air was thick enough to slice with a knife, and it struck him as peculiar. Something just didn't feel right. He rubbed the back of his neck as he yanked at his bullet proof vest in frustration. He thought of removing the cumbersome thing, but uncharacteristic shouts coming from the room stole his attention and made his blood run cold. Sheppard's eyes widened when he heard one of the tactical commanders shout loudly to hold all fire. _What the hell is going on?_ Sheppard rushed towards the entrance but was held back by several men. He craned his neck to get a peek inside the room. He felt the small hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he realised that the terrorists had hostages in hand and at gunpoint.

Sam attempted to shove past. "Let me by. I've been negotiating with Dosa since the beginning. Let me try and reason with the guy!"

The officers refused to move. "Back off, Negotiation is over!" came a terse reply.

Sam felt his blood pressure increase in annoyance. "For crying out loud, let me try!"

One of the armored men turned and glared at him angrily. "BACK OFF!"

The man's voice was unmistakably authoritative. Sheppard took a few steps back. From the corner of his eye, Sam saw Mitch Brady approach the door. It was easy to see that the scientist's demeanor was downcast. Sam couldn't pretend to know what the man was thinking. He'd hardly had time to get to know the civilian, but Sheppard recognised that he had been nothing but helpful, especially in the beginning with the teenager, Lucas. The two men made eye contact for several seconds, and then Sam noticed something change in the Mitch's face. It was an unsettling look.

Sam felt like he needed to reach out to the man. "Brady, are you alright?"

The troubled expression on the guy's face was disconcerting. Mitch nodded at him but didn't say anything. Then without warning, as Sam stood gaping in disbelief, Mitch rushed the doorway knocking several officers to the floor. Sam didn't know what to think, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He swiftly took advantage of the distraction. He could hear officers restraining the civilian scientist and as he slipped past the group, he saw the horrified look on the guy's face. His eyes followed the man's line of sight. _Oh, Damn._ He was staring at the bodies on the floor in the front entrance of the room. Sheppard didn't linger on it long, but he felt like Mitch recognised someone as he saw the man's eyes fill with tears of pain and anguish.

Sheppard shook his head to clear it as he managed to slip past the armed officers. He had one chance to get in, and he planned to use it well. He put his hands up in the air and walked forward, trying not to look as surprised and horrified as he felt. He bit his lip as his eyes fell on the terrorist holding the teenage boy. He didn't recognise the man, but the guy had frantic bloodlust in his eyes.

"Hey, I'm Sam Sheppard." Sam felt acutely aware of how quickly every eye in the room was on him. "I'm here to help you. How can we end this peacefully for all of us?"

Sam felt his heart race in his chest as he continued to walk towards the centre of the room where the terrorist was standing. The man was sweating profusely, and his agitation was apparent for all to see. Sheppard's heart ached when he saw the terrified look on the kid's face. As much as Sam wanted to throttle the kid, his heart went out to him. The boy looked like he'd been through a war. His face was bloodied and bruised, his leg was ripped open, oozing bright red blood and it looked infected. In fact, the poor kid was covered head to toe in blood. Sam wasn't sure what other injuries the kid had sustained, and he had to force himself to look away for a minute to collect his thoughts and refocus. If he couldn't keep a lid on his own emotions, he'd be no good to help anyone. Forcing himself to swallow, he made eye contact with the terrorist, attempting to gauge the man's emotional state.

"There is only one way this is going to end!" screamed the terrorist. He swung his weapon around the room. Sheppard recognised it for what it was: a desperate attempt to command authority within the room. Sheppard caught a look at the other two terrorists who were joining their friend. One was Syed Dosa, who was holding another hostage and the other man was swinging his weapon in various directions, looking like a trapped animal.

Sheppard kept his hands up where they could be seen. He didn't want to startle anyone. On the floor, beside the foot of the third terrorist, Sheppard could see the lady doctor attending to Captain Bridger. The sea captain was attempting to sit up. His face was pale and he looked more than a little traumatized. _Don't make any sudden moves, Bridger. Just relax with the doctor and let me handle this._ Sheppard was thankful that none of the tactical officers had said anything since he'd entered the room. He knew that every man in that room had surrendered to his authority. Whether the commanders were ticked at him or not was no longer an issue. It was vital that everyone stay calm and focused. Sheppard wasn't fooling himself though. There was another commander in the room: the tactical commander. In the end, that one man would make the final decision. But for now, Sam planned to do what he could to help end things peacefully.

"This doesn't have to end badly, guys!" said Sam. _C'mon work with me, damn it._ A quick glance around the room told Sheppard all he needed to know. It had been a bloodbath, and the terrorists had nothing left to lose. There were not many hostages left standing. Most were wounded or dead. Sam felt his heart pounding against the inside of his chest. Trying to get an agreeable response was probably foolhardy, but he wasn't going stop trying.

Dosa took that moment to step forward and brush against the shoulder of his companion.

"Where were you, Zain?"

"Never mind that now!" The man snapped at Dosa viciously as he shook the teenage boy in his arms, shoving him towards Dosa. "Take the damned kid!" Lucas' eyes were wide and his lips were trembling.

Dosa released the man he was holding roughly as he grabbed Lucas and wrapped his arm around his neck tightly. The other hostage crumpled to the floor, either dead or unconscious. Dosa kicked him away callously with his foot. Sheppard felt himself tense up when the boy whimpered pitifully but didn't say a word. He looked far too frightened to do anything.

"Get those guns out of here!" Dosa seemed to instantly take over as Zain took a few steps back and held his gun out.

Sheppard kept his hands steady. "I can't do that, Mr. Dosa." It was the truth. There was no way he could send the armed forces out now. Looking around, Sheppard figured there were over twenty armed personnel inside the Summit room now. They were in various positions, kneeling and standing, each one poised at the ready. From the looks of things, they had entered from the front entrance as well as the ventilation system in the ceiling. It had been a bold move on the part of the tactical officers. Sheppard wasn't sure how they managed to get in so quickly, but he didn't have the time to dwell on it. Time would tell in the end. They had already made enough concessions.

"Let me help you fellas get out of here alive, alright?"

Sheppard kept his voice low and calm. Movement in the background caught his eye as he saw Bridger stand to his feet, steadying himself. Inwardly, Sheppard cringed. He wasn't sure if he could trust the man's instincts right now, especially with Lucas in such a precarious position. _Don't do anything stupid, Bridger. Hang tight and just let me try to reason with them. Trust me._ Sheppard looked past the terrorists and shot an intense glare at the injured sea captain. He needed the man to understand who was in charge right now. It was already bad enough that he didn't know when the tactical commander in charge would deem things finished and order his men to open fire. Instinctively, Sheppard knew that it would happen at the best possible moment, but it didn't help him feel any more at peace. Any one of them could lose their lives before this was finished.

"Don't play me for a fool, Sheppard!" scoffed Dosa, shifting Lucas in his arms and backing walking towards Sheppard. "We aren't getting out of here alive any more than this kid is."

"You wanted a helicopter didn't you? I can still get it here, but you have to work with me. Let the kid go, Dosa. C'mon, look at him! He's terrified!"

"W-what about Mikal, Mr. Dosa?" came a weak voice from behind them. Sheppard watched as Bridger took some weak steps towards them. The doctor gasped and put a hand to her mouth. _Oh, for the love of Pete, lady, don't draw any attention to yourself._

"What about your children and your wife?" Nathan continued as he stumbled closer. Sam clenched his jaw and sucked in a sharp breath. The captain had spent more time with the terrorists then he had, and it was obvious the men had built a rapport as Dosa's face took on a pained, remorseful look. The other companions of Dosa looked nervous as Bridger drew closer, both of them pointing their weapons on him. The armed forces around them reminded Sam of stone statues. He could scarcely hear them breathing.

"It's too late…" Dosa's voice trembled. He pushed the gun tighter to Lucas' temple. "I have to finish this, Bridger. It's not personal."

"It sure as hell is personal to me!" Sam's eyes flew open when he saw the senior sea captain come close enough to get a good look at Lucas. _What the hell are you doing, Bridger?_ "You're holding my son!" _BRIDGER!_

Syed Dosa's mouth dropped open at the words and for a split second, he loosened his grip on the teenager in his hand. His hands trembled and the colour drained from his face. It wasn't the reaction Sheppard had expected. The terrorist looked visually shaken.

"Let my son go!" Bridger's voice was commanding.

"Your son?"

"Yes, Lucas is my son! You've made this personal to me."

Dosa shook his head. "You're lying!"

Bridger took more bold steps forward and stopped perilously close to Dosa. Sam gasped in alarm, stunned, as he watched every person in the room holding a weapon flinch at the fearless man's audacity. It was as if Bridger had taken leave of his sanity.

"I said let my son go!"

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan's heart felt like it would burst from his chest when he saw the look on Lucas' face. He knew that look. He had seen it before when Martin Clements had nearly strangled him and again when Franklin Wise had beaten him. Lucas was crumbling before his eyes. He was past being terrified. Lucas was going to do something desperate, and it frightened Nathan to death. He hadn't meant to divulge Lucas' identity, but he felt like he needed to do something shocking to jar Dosa into some kind of awareness of what he was doing. Nathan desperately wanted to appeal to him on some kind of subjective level, as one father to another. Looking at Sheppard, Nathan knew that the negotiator was ticked off at his decision.

Dosa took a few steps towards Nathan, still gripping Lucas around the neck. He seemed to be gauging Nathan's words. Nathan's head was pounding, and it was hard to focus. He reached his hand back to feel something warm and sticky, and when he looked at his hand, he was startled to see it covered in blood. He couldn't even be sure how well he was thinking in the moment but he found himself not caring. All that he cared about was making sure Lucas would be safe. Nothing else mattered to him anymore. He tried to get Lucas' eye contact, but the boy wouldn't look at him. He seemed to be staring at something. Nathan tried to follow his line of sight but couldn't make out what he was looking at.

"Your son," echoed Dosa again. It wasn't like a question. It was more like a quiet, private deliberation.

"Yes, his name is Lucas. I wanted to protect him, so I didn't tell you who he was. I wanted to help you escape and get back to your own family, but I was afraid you would use Lucas against me." Nathan's eyes were pleading with the terrorist, hoping the man could see his heart. The man was a father so on some level he had to understand another man's desperate attempt to keep his child safe.

Dosa shook Lucas and turned him to face him. Lucas lips were trembling, but he didn't utter a sound.

"Is it true? Is Bridger your father?"

Nathan felt his heart in his throat. He wasn't sure that Lucas would understand the question. He seemed so out of touch with reality. Nathan had no idea what the kid would say. Obviously, Nathan wasn't his father in the real biological sense of the word, but in every other way that counted, he was. Just in this situation, Nathan had no idea what Lucas would say. Nathan saw Lucas open his mouth slowly but no sound came out. His mouth opened and closed several times before he seemed to make his vocal cords cooperate. He wasn't looking at Dosa; he was now looking straight at Nathan with tears shimmering in his eyes.

"He's m-my dad," stammered Lucas so softly that the words were almost impossible to hear.

Dosa growled a deep guttural groan as he continued to shake Lucas.

"You're a stupid kid, do you know that?" Nathan grimaced as he watched Dosa shake Lucas. Lucas didn't fight back but just stood silently as he was shaken and shouted at by Dosa. "You've done nothing but cause trouble for me. Your father told me what a terrible kid you are. I'd be doing him a favour if I killed you!"

Nathan's heart lurched in his chest. _Shut-up Dosa! Lucas is a great kid! All his life he's been told he doesn't measure up and now you have the audacity to say such horrible things to him._ Nathan felt his temper flare up. He wanted desperately to wrap up Lucas in his arms and shield him from the heinous things going on in the room.

"Please Dosa, he's just a boy like your Mikal. He has his whole life ahead of him. Our boys can grow up and make a difference in the world despite our mistakes. They can be better than us! Just give him a chance. Please, I beg you."

Dosa looked at Nathan with a very odd look in his eyes. Nathan wasn't sure what it was that he saw in the man's eyes. Sympathy? Wistfulness? Uncertainty? Denial? Urgency? It was impossible to grasp. Nathan glanced around the room, and the sight seemed almost surreal to him. People seemed frozen in time like no one was even breathing. All eyes were on Dosa, Nathan and Lucas. Men and women kneeling and standing with guns poised on Dosa and his men, yet no one dared to move a muscle. Then, in a stunning instant, his eyes fell on Kristin. He would have dropped his mouth open to stop her, but it was too late. He saw the look on her face that gave him a heads up to her plan. He had seen that determined look only once before when Zellar had commandeered SeaQuest. He thought that she was going to shoot the man, but she had remained perfectly calm and calculated. It was only later that she confessed that she hadn't been sure that she wasn't going to shoot him. She'd admitted that she had frightened herself. Watching Kristin rise to her feet and snatch the weapon from the officer in front of her, shocked the officer as well as Nathan. It happened so fast that her movements were a blur. Once she had the weapon, she pointed, aimed and shot the gun. Time seemed to stop as more gunshots rang out in the room.

"Kristin!" Nathan shouted, falling to the floor.

He saw Kristin fall to the floor in a heap. _Kristin!_ Everything within Nathan was screaming at him to get to Kristin's side, but gunshots permeated the room. Nathan covered his head as he saw Dosa collapse to the floor with Lucas still in his grasp. Blood splattered across the floor, covering Nathan as well. The room became a battle zone as gunfire showered the room. Nathan couldn't do anything but cover his head, tremble and wait. The room flooded with deafening shouts, screams and gunfire and then, just as suddenly as it started, all was quiet. The room was completely, deathly silent.


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's note.**

 **This chapter is a little shorter, but I felt like I should post it to tie up a few loose ends...give you a little run down on what happened in the Summit room. Now our characters are safe from Dosa and out of the woods...*maybe***

 **Time to put everyone back together again.**

 **Enjoy :)**

Hollow voices echoed around him as Lucas attempted to put his head up, but he couldn't lift it. He felt a heavy weight on top of him, and his face was squished to the floor. He fought with all his strength to get up, but he couldn't move. Something had him pinned down. His heart was racing as he felt his adrenaline spike, and he felt himself panic as he frantically scratched at the floor to escape. He could hear footsteps and odd clanking noises. He strained his ears to make sense of the voices he was hearing but he couldn't. Everything sounded all jumbled up in his ears. He felt his stomach churning as he again struggled to drag himself out from under the burden on top of him. The weight was crushing him so that he thought he would be smothered. He heard whimpering, and it wasn't until someone said his name that he realised it was his own crying he was hearing.

"Lucas! Hang in there, kid; it's okay. We'll get you out."

Lucas kept crying and his weeping turned to sobs as he felt the weight lifted off of him. Instinct seemed to kick in and he jumped to his feet, immediately endeavouring to bolt away, but he felt strong arms wrap around him.

"Let me go!" he screamed in terror. His whole body was trembling all over. He couldn't stop the waves of panic from racking though his body.

"Shh, Lucas, it's okay. It's Colonel Hitchcock. You're safe, Lucas. Listen to me, pal, it's okay. It's over and you're safe." Lucas couldn't stop trembling, but the voice sounded soothing and safe. He felt his knees go weak beneath him and he collapsed. As he felt himself fall, he thought he saw Captain Bridger in a pool of blood on the floor. He heard a bloodcurdling scream as he fell into blackness.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

"Dr. Westphalen?" said a faraway voice. "Kristin?" A gentle hand on her cheek. "Can you hear me, Doctor?" Something warm being placed on top of her. A blanket maybe?

Kristin's eyes fluttered as she struggled to open her eyes. Blasting bright light hit her pupils as she blinked and tried to open her eyes. She struggled to move and cried out as piercing pain gripped her consciousness.

"Oww…" she heard herself whimper. She felt such burning pain in her chest as she gasped for air and began to cough. She looked up to see unfamiliar faces overtop of her. Her vision was blurry, and she was working hard to clear her head to figure out what happened. She felt her head being lifted slightly and then an oxygen mask was placed over her mouth. She immediately felt like she was being smothered and panic started to kick in. _Relax, Kristin, don't fight it. It's oxygen, breath it in slowly,_ she reminded herself. How often had she had to restrain patients who panicked when the oxygen mask was put over their mouth and nose? The first reaction was to feel smothered. It was easy to forget when you were the one on the receiving end.

"It's okay, Kristin. It's just some oxygen to help you breathe easier. Don't fight it." Kristin stopped struggling and inhaled. "That's right, good; relax and breathe deeply now." The voice sounded soothing in her ear.

"You've been shot, and we're going to transport you to the hospital. Just relax and don't try to move. Everything is going to okay, Kristin." Kristin turned her head and tried to focus her eyes on the voice speaking to her. It was a man who appeared to be in his late twenties. He had a caring face with warm, honey-brown eyes. He smiled at her with compassion. Kristin found herself getting lost in the man's friendly eyes. She stared at him trying to clear her mind. Shot? How did that happen? She was attending a Summit, and they had just finished eating dinner. _Where's Nathan? Lucas? I thought we were going to hear another speaker._ She felt a sharp prick in her hand and she whimpered.

"Sorry, Kristin. I'm putting an IV in your hand; try not to move. You're going to be just fine." Kristin saw the man wink at her in an endearing way. He reminded her of Miguel which made a smile come to her face. Miguel was a nice man.

"Miguel?" She stumbled over the name, and her tongue felt thick.

The man seemed to understand that she was trying to figure out his name, and he patted her arm gently.

"My name is Kurt, ma'am. We're going to lift you up in a minute and get you on a stretcher. It may hurt a bit, but it will be over soon, alright?"

Kristin kept looking into the man's eyes. His eyes were so warm and kind. She found herself disappearing into his eyes like a dream. She could hear his voice speaking her softly in a captivating voice. She felt herself being lifted up and her whole body burned in agony.

"AHH. Oww! S-stop!" she murmured weakly.

The brown eyed man leaned over and winked at her again with a bright smile.

"It's all over, Kristin. You're okay now." Kristin felt another warm blanket cover her and she closed her eyes in appreciation. She felt warm and safe.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Sam Sheppard pulled off his bulletproof vest and tossed it on the table. His head felt foggy and exhaustion was enveloping him. He collapsed into the chair in the command room and leaned his head against the wall. He wouldn't have believed what happened if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. He never expected things to end like they did. Sam raked a hand through his hair as he remembered the chaos that ensued after the lady doctor shot off the weapon she stole from the tactical officer. It was obvious the woman wasn't in control of her faculties at the time. She'd knocked the officer to the floor, snatching the assault rifle and shooting Dosa in the head. It was a perfect shot. Better than any marksmen could have done and Sheppard imagined it shocked every officer in the room. Dosa crumpled to the floor, crushing the Wolenczak kid beneath him. The shock of the attack set off Dosa's men who opened fire in a panic on the rest of the room. Sam knew at that point that the men had nothing left to loose. They weren't going to surrender, and they were determined to take everyone else with them. The doctor was the first to be shot. The man called Zain took her down with a clean shot to the chest. Sheppard had been ushered back against a wall and shoved to the floor, unable to see much of what happened next. He did see the captain dive for the boy, only to be shot next, also by Zain. It was only a matter of minutes before the tactical forces took out the last two gunmen and the room fell silent. The hostage situation had finally come to a close in a bloodbath. When Sam had stood to his feet and took in the room, he felt his stomach lurch within him. The room looked like something out of horror movie. Everyone stood as if paralyzed for several minutes just breathing and trying to digest the devastation. Tactical personnel took off their helmets and other gear, dropping it to the floor as they gaped in disbelief. It had been a long time since any of them had seen a situation as disturbing as this one.

"Commander?"

The soft voice caused Sam to jump, his adrenaline surging once again. There was no doubt in his mind that he was still gun-shy. He didn't even know how long he'd gone without sleep. He was past being just edgy. He felt like there were no words to describe how he was feeling anymore. Sam rubbed his eyes trying to clear his vision and when he finally looked up, he saw Rick Hitchcock standing over him.

"Sam? You ok?"

Sam sighed. "No, to be honest, I'm not. I'm not sure I'm ever going to be okay again." Sam knew he sounded ridiculous saying that. _That's a stupid thing to say, you idiot. Of course you're going to be okay. You're just exhausted._

Rick sat down. "It wasn't your fault, Sam. You did your best. No one likes the outcome, but it wasn't your fault."

"I know," said Sam, standing to his feet heaving a sigh. "Doesn't mean I don't feel like a failure."

Rick put a hand on his shoulder. "I've been watching the paramedics take out the survivors, and I am without words."

"How's the boy?"

"He's catatonic. I helped paramedics get him in the ambulance, but he's unresponsive. He's been beaten, his leg had a nasty, infected gash in it, and I'm not even sure of his other injuries," replied Rick, dropping his hand and shaking his head in dismay. "The poor kid is in shock."

Sam clenched his jaw. As much as the kid had been a huge thorn in his side, he never wanted to see the poor boy hurt so badly.

"Bridger?"

"Nathan was shot in the shoulder and again in the chest. One of the officers said he tried to grab for Lucas as Dosa fell and Zain shot him at a pretty close range."

"I saw that. That man should have stayed down." Sam felt his temper flare at the man's stupidity. What had Bridger been thinking?

Rick shook his head. "Lucas is his son, Sam; maybe not by blood but certainly in all the ways it counts. There was no way he was going to idly sit by and let anything happen to the kid if it was within his power to protect him. I've been told that Nathan was obsessed with keeping the kid safe, and Dosa didn't make it easy by any means."

"Is he going to make it?"

"I'm not sure. The paramedic said his prognosis wasn't good," admitted Rick, walking across the room to pour another cup of coffee. "Want one?"

"No thanks, at this point, I'm going to be peeing coffee for a month."

Rick smirked as he took a long gulp. "Dr. Westphalen is one lucky woman; that's for sure. She took a clean shot to the chest, and the bullet missed all of her vital organs. Paramedics said she will be just fine with time."

"That woman is senseless," said Sam, staring at the notes and pictures on the wall. He couldn't remove anything as it all needed to be carefully documented and photographed. Sam groaned as he thought of the reams of paperwork he had in his future as he made up reports of the event.

"She's a hero, Sam. She might have reacted out of a panicked protective instinct for Lucas, but she ended things."

"I'm not sure tactical is going to look at it that way," commented Sam.

"To hell with tactical!"

Sam burst out laughing. He didn't know where the laughter came from, but the look on Rick's face and his comment struck Sam as hilarious. His laughter was contagious and soon Rick erupted in laughter as well. The two men stood chuckling and laughing for several minutes until tears filled their eyes. The laughter had a way of releasing some pent up emotions for both men. Sam struggled to catch his breath as he leaned against the wall for support.

"I think I've lost my mind," he gasped as he attempted to catch his breath.

Rick clasped him on the shoulder. "No, my friend. Laughter is good medicine."

Sam took a deep breath and soon his laughter dissipated.

"Any of the other crew members survive?"

"Katie said that Miguel Ortiz and Tim O'Neill were both fine, with no serious injuries. I'm not sure of any other crew involved. Paramedics were taking out so many survivors. Many were just very shaken but unharmed."

Sam nodded feeling a sense of sadness settle over him. As many that were unharmed, there were so many more that lost their lives. The room had had a large pile of dead bodies in the centre. The memory sickened Sam. Such a senseless waste of life over the rantings of madmen.

A crisp knock was heard at the door and the time men turned to see Mitch Brady at the door. His face was downcast, and Sam thought he saw evidence of tears on the man's cheeks.

"Brady?" questioned Sam, wondering why the man was still on site.

"Do you mind if I come in a minute?"

"Not at all, please do," said Sam, ushering the man inside.

Mitch entered the room and sat on a chair against the far wall. Sam watched as Rick sat beside the young scientist. Something about Rick just radiated caring dad figure to all. Rick genuinely cared for everyone.

"Aw, Mitch, I can see how broken you are. Do you want to talk about it?"

Mitch's eyes flooded with tears and the man worked hard to blink them back. He cleared his throat carefully and licked his lips. The pain was so clearly visible.

"I feel numb," said Mitch, his voice barley above a whisper. "This whole thing is surreal. I got up this morning to come and teach a conference about keeping our oceans safe and clean for future generations. My colleagues and I didn't sign up to die. No one was supposed to die." The last word was choked out. Sam's heart ached as he saw Mitch collapse his face in his hands and sob. Rick put an arm around the younger man compassionately. Sheppard felt like he didn't know what to say or do to comfort Mitch. His head was in a fog and his stomach ached. He thought he could smell the odor of death permeating the whole building now that the Summit room's main doors had been opened wide.

"I'm so sorry, Mitch." Rick's soothing voice spoke softly. Sam was in awe at how much sympathy radiated from the Colonel. He touched Mitch's back in a fatherly way and whispered encouraging words that Sam couldn't make out. After a few minutes, Mitch gained his composure and sat up, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Ryan and Blake were not just my colleagues; they were my friends." Mitch's bottom lip was quivering as he spoke about his friends who were killed. "Ryan was going to be married next month. He asked me to be his best man." Mitch seemed to be looking at Rick for an explanation; like he wanted someone to help make sense of all the tragedy.

"I don't have any words to take away the pain, son. This world will bring us pain and suffering, there is no doubt about it, but somehow we have to rise above it and be men that still see the good in people."

Mitch nodded quietly as he continued to wipe his eyes and sniffle. Sam felt like he wanted to scream. _What's the point of being a good man just to be targeted and killed for it? Maybe it's time to take action and just exterminate all the vermin like the rodents they are. When is it all going to stop? How many more innocent people were going to die because of revolutionists like Dosa and his mercenaries?_ Sheppard knew that Dosa would not be the last to steal innocent lives. And for what? They hadn't accomplished anything. And they lost their own lives as well. A foolish waste of time, resources and human life.

Sam looked up to see Commander Hitchcock burst in the room. Her face was white and she looked panic stricken.

"Daddy!" Sam was surprised to hear the professional woman address her father by that familiar name. The commander ran to her father and nearly fell into his arms in tears.

"Katie, what's the matter?" Rick wrapped his daughter in his arms. Mitch's eyes widened as he watched the scene as well.

"It's Captain Bridger; the paramedic said they don't think he's going to make it. They just used the defibrillator paddles on him a few minutes ago because his heart stopped."

Sam, Mitch and Rick all glanced at each other in silence while the commander began to weep.

Rick stood to his feet in determination. "C'mon Katie, let's head to the hospital. I'd rather not speculate on what the paramedic said. Let's go find out the truth."

Sam leaned back against the wall as he watched Commander Hitchcock and the Colonel leave the room arm in arm. Sam closed his eyes. As soon as he got up enough strength, he planned to go home and kiss his wife and kids. Life was too short to take people for granted.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note:**

 **Thanks** **for the reviews!**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

 **Summer is so close...school is done on June 30th and then I have one week to clean my classroom and organise things for next year.**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **xo**

 **Jenny**

Katie carefully balanced her parcels in her arms as she made her way down the hallway of the hospital. She had a lot of stops to make, and Jonathan promised to meet her at the front entrance but had called saying he was running late. Katie understood. Jonathan and she had been burning the candles at both ends while SeaQuest had been docked. Even though they didn't have an urgent agenda to balance, life on the vessel was still busy. The Admiral thought it was as good a time as any to do officer reviews and thorough diagnostics of the vessel, as well as some repair and upgrades. Truth be known, diagnostics without Lucas was a lesson in futility. It wasn't that no one else could do it, it more like Lucas was the only one who could do it efficiently. Plus everyone one knew the teenager could do it in his sleep with more proficiency than ten men. Jonathan had had to clean up a mess on the vessel, and he hadn't even given her a hint what the mess was. Katie shook her head as she walked. She really didn't want to know anyways.

Katie set down her parcels as she approached room 423. The door was closed but as she reached for the handle, she heard a horrendous crashing noise. She rushed into the room to see a humorous sight. Ben Krieg was sitting on the floor with his foot stuck in a bed pan, water dripping down his face.

"What on earth are you doing?" Katie walked across the room, smirking, to help Ben to his feet. His right arm was in a sling, and he was dressed in his black Mr. Potato Head pajamas bottoms with a blue Marine t-shirt. One slipper was on his left foot and the other one was across the room. His side table was tipped over and all of the contents strewn across the floor. Ben's hair was wet and water was dripping down his face.

"I tried to get a drink of water."

Katie grinned. "Was your hair thirsty?" Katie helped Ben to his feet, and he kicked the offending bed pan across the room, grumpily.

"Can never find a nurse in this stinken place when you need one." Katie helped Ben back into the bed and walked to the bathroom for a towel.

"Ben, none of the nurses can stand the way you flirt with them," she scolded. "The board at the nurse's station has a large red warning flag beside your name." Katie bit back a laugh as she saw Ben's face change to a pout. Katie handed the towel to him, and he took it to dry his face and hair.

"Nonsense! A handsome, rugged guy like myself? I've had to beat off those gorgeous nurses with a stick for weeks now."

Katie put a hand on her hip in disgust. "Ben, you're delusional."

Ben gave her one of his impish smiles which made her burst out laughing. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. His eyes gleamed as he pulled her closer with his good, strong arm causing her to giggle in protest.

"Ben, stop it; you'll reinjure your arm," she scolded, trying to keep some of her dignity. Ben seemed to ignore her until she was pulled right on top of him. She wriggled again but then gave in, melting into his arms. She wasn't going to fight Ben Krieg anymore. She'd almost lost him once, and there was no way she was going to let that happen again. She wiggled a little until she was on her side beside him, and she gazed into his dark blue eyes.

"What?" asked Ben, softly, as he tucked his arm tightly around her. "Tell me what you're thinking?"

Katie shrugged. She didn't know how to put into words what she was thinking. It had felt like a lifetime since the whole incident at the conference centre. The event had changed her. She'd started to view life differently. Before, she was only driven to climb the latter and get her own command. But now, she found herself thinking more and more about taking a leave of absence and starting a family…with Ben. Tears blurred her crystal eyes.

"Hey, Kate, why the tears? What's wrong? Is it Bridger? Lucas?" Ben's face became serious as his endearing goofy grin melted away. Katie blinked back tears and shook her head.

"Ben," she said as she sniffled. "For some reason, I can't talk my heart out of loving you."

The goofy grin crept across his face again. "Of course not, I'm too sexy for my Mr. Potato Head night pants. They get me all the girls." He winked at her and Katie groaned. They had yet to have a serious discussion. Ben seemed to be enjoying her attention, but not quite yet ready to address his brush with death. Katie knew that he could sense something had changed between them, but for some reason he was choosing not to talk about it. As much as it pained her to keep avoiding it, she was willing to let him be the one to bring it up. She didn't want to push things. For now, she was just going to play along and shower him in attention. Katie had already made up her mind. Benjamin Krieg was not going to get away from her again. Even if he was going to act like a 170 pound toddler, Katie was going to keep him tightly in her grasp.

The room door rattled slightly, and Ben and Katie were red-faced to see a hefty, bottled- blonde-haired nurse enter the room. The woman was in her 50's and had no nonsense look on her face. Katie had noticed that the only nurses that came to Ben's room lately were older ladies. Katie bit back a laugh when Ben squirmed under the woman's scrutiny.

"This isn't a brothel, Miss Hitchcock," scolded the nurse, glancing around the room to see the disarray.

Katie slipped off the far side of the bed and straightened her clothing and hair, a large smirk on her face. She was tempted to blame it all on Ben and watch in delight while the nurse took a few strips out of Ben. She glanced at Ben momentarily to watch him put on his best wounded puppy look. Katie shook her head incredulously. The man was incorrigible. He should have been ashamed of himself, but instead, his eyes twinkled.

"Terribly sorry," apologised Katie, glancing at the nurse's name tag. "Betty, I was just helping Ben with something in his eye." Katie grinned at the nurse, and the woman glared at her.

"You need to leave now while I help Mr. Krieg bathe."

Ben's eyes widened in horror and Katie laughed. Somehow she didn't think Betty was the nurse Ben had hoped for when it came to such things.

"Of course." Katie smirked at Ben who threw her a pleading look. "I brought you some magazines to browse, Ben, and your mom sent you some homemade cookies. She and your dad won't be in today, but promise to visit tomorrow. They're enjoying their stay on SeaQuest. Today, Darwin promised your dad a game of football. And I believe your mom was planning to clean your quarters."

Ben's face took on a look of alarm as he groaned. "Please tell me you are joking!" Katie covered her month to stifle a laugh but couldn't keep it hidden. Her laughter filled the room.

Ben protruded his bottom lip as Katie walked to the door, and Betty began to pull back his blankets ominously.

"You're a cruel woman, Katherine Hitchcock," said Ben. Katie couldn't help but stick her tongue out at him as she escaped out the door.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas looked up at his companion with a groan. He'd been playing Forza Horizon 2 with Mitch Brady for several hours while he waited to see Eric Petersen, his counselor. Not many people could beat Lucas at any video game but Mitch seemed to be his equal. The scientist from Berkeley had befriended him and had made it a priority to spend time with him every day. Mitch had returned to California for his friends' funerals but had surprised Lucas by taking time off and returning to Miami. The two of them had a lot in common, and Mitch seemed to be a good listener too. Lucas sincerely appreciated his friendship, especially since he was having such a difficult time adjusting to everything. The terrorist attack had really shaken him to his core. Not a single night passed where he didn't have a horrible nightmare. He'd been staying in the teen mental health unit at the hospital, and meeting with Eric on a daily basis.

Lucas smacked his controller on the table in exasperation. "UGH, seriously? How do you do that every time?" Lucas glared at Mitch as the man laughed at him with a gleam in his eye.

"Gee, could it be because I've been driving a real car for 10 years and you haven't even got a license yet?"

Lucas glared at him, all the while biting back his own laughter. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Mitch reached out and messed up his hair. "Just about everything." Lucas rolled his eyes and grinned. "When do you turn 16 anyways?"

"Not until December." Lucas inwardly groaned. It might as well have been seven years away instead of seven months for all the difference it made.

"I hope I'm around to give you a few lessons, Squirt."

Lucas frowned. "Who you calling Squirt?" Lucas stood to his feet and gave Mitch a forceful shove, bursting into laughter. Mitch grabbed Lucas in a playful hold and wrestled him to the floor. Lucas laughed for a few minutes and then suddenly, he felt feelings of panic surge up within him. He froze and closed his eyes as his mind flooded with painful memories.

"Captain, help me," he whimpered.

Mitch stopped immediately and knelt to Lucas' side. "Hey buddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's okay, Lucas. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you." Mitch's voice sounded soft and encouraging in Lucas' mind. Lucas felt his heart racing in his chest and even though he didn't feel as threatened, he couldn't make himself open his eyes.

"I'm going to help you to your feet, Lucas, okay?"

Lucas held up his hands. "NO! I want the captain."

"Luke, listen to my voice, buddy, okay? No one's gonna hurt you. The captain can't come to you, remember?"

Lucas blinked back tears. He couldn't remember the last time he saw the Captain. Why didn't he come to see him? Why couldn't he see the Captain?

"Please, Mitch; it's been so long. Can't I please see him?"

Mitch sat on the floor, crossing his legs. Lucas lay on his back on the floor, refusing to open his eyes. "Listen closely and I'll explain it again, okay?" Lucas nodded. Mitch had a nice calm, soothing voice. In the distance, Lucas heard the door open and someone enter, but he still wouldn't take a chance on opening his eyes.

"Captain Bridger was seriously injured, and he nearly died, Lucas. He's still in a coma, and no one knows when or if he will awaken. Remember?" Mitch paused for a moment and Lucas heard movement but no words. "They don't allow kids into the ICU unit so you can't see him."

Lucas felt tears burn in his eyes. "I'm not a kid!" Every time people called him a kid, it made his blood boil. He was 15 years old and a college graduate, for Pete's sake. He wasn't some stupid little kid who was going to stir up trouble; besides, maybe Captain Bridger would wake up if he heard his voice.

"I visited him today, Lucas," said a familiar female voice from the back of the room. This time Lucas did open his eyes. He felt the fear drain from him as he recognised Dr. Westphalen standing at the back of the room with a bright smile in her face. Lucas sat up and wrapped his arms around his legs. He offered the doctor a lopsided smile.

"Did you say hello from me? Studies say that people in a coma can hear everything said to them. I don't want him to think I don't love him. What if he wakes up and wonders why I never came and seen him?" Lucas' face was grave.

Kristin walked over to Lucas as Mitch rose to his feet, offering her a grateful smile.

"I tell him about your progress every day." Lucas' face fell in despair. Kristin moved closer and carefully stooped down to pat his hair gently. "He'd be so proud of how well you're doing, Lucas." She tapped his head gently. "Why the long face?"

"No, he wouldn't. I should be back on SeaQuest helping with diagnostics, but I can't stop these stupid nightmares. Eric won't let me leave because he's afraid I will get sick from lack of sleep or do something stupid and hurt myself."

Kristin tugged on his hair gently. "Hey, you went through a very traumatic experience, sweetheart. It's going to take a while for you to digest it all and heal from it. All of us have a long way to go before we're back to our old selves."

"Being here with you Lucas helps me so much. I'm thankful to have you to hang out with," said Mitch, sitting back in his chair.

Lucas remained on the floor looking up at both of the adults in the room. He was grateful Mitch chose to spend time with him . He was also allowed to see Ben quite often as well, but it wasn't the same as being on SeaQuest together. Ben was still recovering so they didn't have as much time together as he would have liked.

"You've got to tell me the truth, Dr. Westphalen. Please! I'm not a kid and you've got to stop treating me like I am." Lucas stared at her with tears shimmering in his eyes. He cursed the emotional display. He didn't want to be a cry baby. Just ever since the ordeal, he just couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He spent most of his days not feeling safe. Even when he was safe in his room, he didn't feel secure. At night when he closed his eyes, Dosa came and beat him and shot the captain. Every. Single. Night. The nurse would come in, wake him and repeat the same soothing words, but he still felt terrorised.

Kristin tipped Lucas' chin up so she could look into his blue eyes. "I don't have any answers, Lucas. Physically, he's healing well from the gunshot wounds, but his body placed him in a deep, healing coma."

Lucas rose to his feet and crossed his arms. He felt a sudden surge of anger. He was tired of being in the dark. He wanted to see the captain for himself. Everyone needed to stop treating him like he was some kind of fragile china doll.

"I want to see him." Lucas set his mouth in a firm line. Mitch stood to his feet and put his hand on Lucas' shoulder. Lucas shook it off bitterly. If they wouldn't let him go with permission, then he would go without permission. He didn't need them to keep telling him what to do.

Kristin sighed. "I know it's difficult for you, Lucas, and if Nathan was awake, he would be raising Cain over the very idea that you were being kept from him."

Lucas puffed his cheeks out, attempting to calm down. He knew her words were true. Captain Bridger would never let them keep him away. Lucas bit his lip thoughtfully.

"I'm going to use the washroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He saw both adults nod as he left the room.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin brushed her hand across her face as she watched the troubled teenager leave the room. She heaved a sigh and looked at Mitch who shrugged.

"Has he been this agitated all day?" asked Kristin.

Mitch cleaned up the video game console, controllers and switched off the television. He looked at Kristin and offered a gentle smile.

"No, he's been great today. I mean he hasn't talked about anything in particular really, but he's been laughing and having fun. Much more relaxed than a few days ago. He even ate some pizza with me." Mitch picked up the snack plates and pitched them in the garbage. The entertainment room was a place Lucas and Mitch hung on a daily basis to play games while waiting for Lucas' appointment with Eric.

"I'm worried about him. He seems so distraught and on edge most of the time. Eric told me that he refuses to discuss anything about what happened in the Summit room."

Mitch nodded. "He worries me too. Just now we were play-wrestling and he panicked. I feel awful."

"It's not your fault, Mitch." Kristin sat in the chair closest to her. She was feeling weak still. Her wound was healing well, and she would be able to return to SeaQuest soon. She knew once she was able to return to the vessel, she would be able to talk Eric into releasing Lucas into her capable hands. The only trouble was that she wasn't sure that Lucas would leave without Nathan. "I've been meaning to tell you what a Godsend you've been for all of us. Lucas needed someone to lean on while the rest of us have been recovering. He's been through so much, and he's feeling really insecure."

"I just don't understand his parents, Dr. Westphalen."

"Kristin," she gently corrected. Mitch was most definitely a small town boy, always insisting on calling her by her professional title.

"Kristin," he corrected himself, a tinge of pink brushing his cheeks. "Lucas has been fighting a hard battle and not once have his parents even shown up here. Don't they understand that he might have died at the hands of Dosa? Do they even realise what Lucas is going through with Captain Bridger in a coma?"

Kristin dropped her chin. "We've asked ourselves similar questions more times than I can count. His parents are a mystery."

Mitch shook his head. "Forgive me, but they're jackasses. Why do they even have custody of the kid? He deserves so much better."

"Nathan signed custody papers for Lucas and has been his surrogate father. Lucas and Nathan are extremely close, so I don't think Lucas has spent too much time pondering over his negligent parents. Still, there have been times in the past where we've had our hands full because of his feelings of abandonment."

"I'll bet." Mitch sat down across from Kristin. "He's such a remarkable kid. I feel like he's a kindred spirit of sorts when we start discussing science. And to be honest, I can't wait to see the SeaQuest and meet Darwin."

Kristin lifted a brow. "Just what has he told you about Darwin?"

"I'm sworn to secrecy, Kristin, and I promise I won't breathe a word." Mitch gave her a toothy smile which made her roll her eyes. She inwardly smirked. Mitch Brady was becoming another honorary member of Lucas' Darwin fan club. She knew if Nathan was conscious he would scold Lucas for sharing classified UEO secrets with Mitch, but at this point, the fact that Lucas was confiding in Mitch and talking was more than enough reason to not care.

"Consider yourself flattered, Mr. Brady. Lucas doesn't just let anyone privy to Darwin's secrets. Darwin is a very special friend."

Mitch rose to his feet. "Lucas is a fantastic kid, and I am flattered to have his friendship. He's like a healing salve on my heart." Kristin smiled in understanding. She felt the same way most of time with regards to Lucas. He had a way of healing her heart as well. "These past few weeks have been really tough, to say the least. I'm not even sure how I'm going to return to my lab after all this. I can only take so much leave before I have to return, or I'll lose my tenure."

Kristin thought for a moment as she stared at the young man in front of her. From what she learned about Mitch Brady, he was a brilliant scientist, most especially proficient in oceanography and cetology. He would be a magnificent asset to the SeaQuest, especially with the recent problems with the toxins being dumped into the ocean. Mitch seemed to know a great deal about it. Kristin bit her lip while she pondered things. She would be recovering for at least a month and, while Dr. Levin was able to handle the medical aspect of life aboard SeaQuest, the scientific side would be sadly lacking in leadership.

"Mitch, I have a proposal for you."

Mitch seemed to perk up. "Proposal?"

"How would the powers to be feel about you doing a study leave for several months on SeaQuest?"

Mitch's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" A smile crossed the man's face. "That would be incredible. My supervisors would jump all over the opportunity for me to collect samples and do research aboard the SeaQuest, as long as I kept accurate records and recorded everything in meticulous detail as well as kept them up-to-date on our current research." Mitch stopped to gasp for air realising that he was rambling.

"Well, let me talk with some of my staff this week and look at getting you approved and classified. The work we do on SeaQuest can be highly classified so I would need to see if you can pass inspection."

Mitch nodded and at the same time his cell phone rang. Mitch glanced at the number calling, politely excusing himself from the room. Kristin sunk back into the chair thoughtfully. Mitch Brady might be the exact person she needed to help her with Lucas until Nathan awoken.

Kristin's thoughts turned to Nathan and tears filled her eyes. It broke her heart each day she sat with him. There was no medical reason why he wouldn't wake up. She'd been searching her mind for answers as well as speaking with the specialists; everyone seemed baffled. For some reason, Nathan Bridger had checked out of life and wouldn't come back to them. Every day that passed was one day further that Nathan slipped away. Kristin reached up and wiped away a tear on her cheek. She didn't want to allow herself to break down here. Mitch would return soon, and she didn't have the stamina to discuss it. She already had Eric breathing down her throat to submit to some counselling. Kristin wasn't sure that she was ready to discuss her deep-seated feelings about what happened just yet. She knew she was feeling much better physically the past week and was dearly hoping to be released. Her gunshot wound was healing well, and she was gaining back her strength. She knew that Dr. Levin would be forcing her to stay on light duty for a while which would give her plenty of time to spend with Lucas.

Kristin smiled as Mitch entered the room once again. Mitch returned her smile but his face looked grim.

"Is something the matter?"

Mitch sighed. "Not exactly; that was Ryan's fiancé. She's still pretty broken up. What do you even call her? She's not a widow, but I know she feels like one."

Kristin walked towards Mitch, placing a compassionate hand on his wrist. "I'm sorry, Mitch. I think everyone forgets how much you've been through. You weren't in the room, but you went through the same trauma as we did from the outside."

Mitch blinked a few times, and Kristin could see the tears shimmering in his eyes. He chuckled light-heartedly as only a young man would do who was trying not to allow his emotions to show.

"Thanks, Doctor…I mean, Kristin. It's been a rough ride for sure. Somehow being here with all of you and especially Lucas, helps." Mitch turned from her for a moment, and Kristin could hear him sniffling. After several moments, he turned to face her again. "Enough of this sappy hullabaloo. It's time I take you to the cafeteria for some ice cream."

Kristin laughed. "You think so, huh?"

Mitch grinned at her. "Yes, I do. You could use some fattening up and well, I'm just hungry." Kristin laughed at his sheepish little boy look as he held out the crook of his elbow for her to take.

"Very well, Mr. Brady, lead on. Maybe we can find Lucas and drag him along."

Mitch bowed towards her debonairly, and the two of them left the room arm in arm.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Lucas ducked behind the nurse's desk by the ICU. There were several nurses monitoring the Captain's room, making it very difficult for him to even sneak a peek at the man. Lucas grumbled under his breath. He felt so annoyed that he couldn't just simply walk into the room and visit the Captain.

"Who makes these stupid rules anyways?" he mumbled to himself.

He sat on the floor and leaned against the desk. All the sneaking around was making him feel like he was doing something wrong. How could visiting the Captain be wrong? _Because you're breaking the rules, dummy_ , he heard his conscience tell him. Another part of him was telling his conscience to shut-up. Lucas almost snickered at himself. _Leave it to me to have an inner battle within myself._ Lucas peeked around the corner of the desk to see two sets of legs that didn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere. _Damn it, how can I get them to leave?_ Lucas chewed his lip thoughtfully. He glanced around the Intensive care unit, trying to figure out how he could manage to orchestrate some kind of diversion. He just needed enough time to sneak in the captain's room undetected. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another room. He slid himself carefully along the floor, keeping his head down and peaked inside the room. It was empty. He manoeuvred himself slowly so as to not draw attention to his presence and escaped into the room. He surveyed the equipment in the room, trying to think of something that might set off some alarms. Perhaps it would capture the attention of the nurses and give him the opportunity that he needed. Lucas approached the main monitor in the room and flicked it on. He grabbed the pulse oximeter and clipped it to his finger. He'd been in the hospital long enough to figure out that that annoying little monitor would bleep endlessly at the nurses station until they either turned it off or clipped it back to a patient's finger. Lucas started the machine and waited for it to begin reading his blood oxygen levels. Then he unclipped it and allowed it to fall to the floor. Immediately the monitor began to bleep its annoying message. Lucas carefully slipped out of the room and assumed his hiding position on the floor behind the desk.

"Clara, room 208 has a pulse oximeter disconnected," said one nurse to the other.

"208? I didn't think we had a patient in that room."

"Go check while I take this file to Dr. Klassen. I'll be back in 10 minutes."

Lucas sat very still as he listened to footsteps heading in opposite directions. He popped his head up a little and peeked to see that the desk was finally empty. Lucas stood to his feet and quickly slipped into Captain Bridger's room.

Lucas' hands trembled as he walked across the room to the side of the captain's bed. He sucked in a haggard breath when he saw how fragile the man looked. Lucas reached out his hand and gently touched Captain Bridger's hand. He was relieved to feel how warm and familiar it felt. Lucas pulled the chair up and sat down, clasping his hand around the man's wrist, being careful not to upset the pulse monitor or the IV. He rested his head on the captain's chest listening to his strong heartbeat.

"They wouldn't let me come see you, Captain." Lucas felt tears burn in his eyes. "Why won't you wake up, anyways?" Lucas' voice caught in his throat. He lifted his head and stared at the Captain. He was lying so still and quiet and looked so pale. It frightened Lucas to see him looking so delicate.

"It's been a long time since we talked, Captain. And I really needed you to know how sorry I am that I messed everything up." Lucas choked back tears as he began bearing his heart. "I thought I could help by sneaking in the room. I wanted to help get people out safely, but instead I almost got you killed. You got hurt and it's my fault." Lucas felt hot tears stream down his cheeks. He hadn't been able to open up with Eric or anyone about how he felt. When he had awoken the first day in the hospital, no one would tell him about the captain. Lucas had begged for information but everyone was tight-lipped. At first he thought the Captain was dead and it had made feel like he was spinning out of control. Eventually he was told Captain Bridger was in a coma but he was alive. Relief had flooded Lucas from head to toe. He just knew that if he could see the Captain, the man would wake up.

"Please, Captain, you have to wake up now. I need you. I know you must be furious with me. Yell at me! Tell me I'm grounded for ever." Lucas shook the man gently. He didn't mean to but he was feeling desperate. Tears streamed down his cheeks in a steady flow as he rested both hands on the captain's chest. He watched as the man's chest rose and fell in rhythm to the beeping on the monitors.

"I don't think I can make it without you. Every time I close my eyes, Dosa hurts me and you try to stop him. Why did you have to be so stupid? Huh? Why did you try to stop him?" Lucas felt his temper flare as he stared at the man he loved so dearly. "All I do is screw up, and I'm not worth your life. You should have just let Dosa shoot me. SeaQuest needs you, Captain." Lucas clenched his hands into fists. "No one needs me. I'm just some dumb kid. The world wouldn't have lost anything important. Please, wake up, Captain."

Lucas laid his head back down on Nathan's chest and, for the first time since he was admitted to the hospital, he sobbed. His mind flooded with memoires from the attack, and he allowed them to overwhelm him instead of pushing them away. Even though the captain wasn't conscious, Lucas still felt safe enough to let down his defenses. He allowed the memories of Dosa beating him permeate his mind. He allowed the images of the dead bodies, and blood splattering and pooling across the floor to touch his awareness once again. He closed his eyes as tight as he could and allowed all of it to assault his consciousness all at once, and he sobbed. He wept gut-wrenching, heart-piercing sobs as he grasped the Captain's shirt tightly. He was so lost in his agony that it took several minutes before he realised that someone was caressing the back of the head. He choked back tears as he lifted his head, startled at the sensation of the gentle touch. He looked up to see Dr. Westphalen behind him. She enveloped him in her arms, and he leaned back into her. Mitch was standing in the doorway, placing his arm up to prevent the nurse from barging in.

"Why won't he wake up? It's all my fault. I'm sorry; I'm so sorry."

Kristin held him tightly and kissed the top of his head. "It's not your fault, sweetheart."

Lucas soaked up her support while he continued to stare at the Captain. He felt more frightened and lost as everyday passed into the next. He wasn't sure he could make it through another day. The captain had to wake up soon. He couldn't lose the only man who ever loved him like a father should. In Lucas' heart, Nathan Bridger was his father. And the thought of losing him was unbearable.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N**

 **Some of the next few chapters may be shorter than normal, but I really want to get them out to you.**

 **Enjoy the story and I will keep trying to edit and post as I have time.**

 **God bless,**

 **Jenny Wrens :)**

 _Nathan leaned back in his Adirondack chair and closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh ocean air. The sun warmed his skin reminding him how good life was, and he silently reprimanded himself for not taking more time to relax and enjoy it. He opened his eyes to see Darwin in the distance charmingly breaching the water. He knew the dolphin was doing his best to get his attention, probably hoping to have a companion to swim with. Glancing at his watch, Nathan groaned; he needed to get some work done, but he was fighting against his inner desire to just sit like a lump in his chair and enjoy the sunshine. He rose to his feet and began walking towards the shoreline. He wanted to at least touch his toes to the water before heading back to the cabin to get some chores done. Just as he reached the shore and the water lapped at his feet, he heard a voice from behind him._

 _"Dad!"_

 _Nathan turned and a smile lit up his face when he saw his son approaching him._

 _"Bobby, I didn't expect to see you today."_

 _"Dad, do you have some time to talk?"_

 _Nathan patted his son fondly on the shoulder. "Sure, I just thought I'd poke my toes in the water just once today because once I get back to the cabin, your mother is going to have her honey-do list all ready for me."_

 _Robert Bridger smirked. "I may have seen that list when I stopped in to ask where you were."_

 _Nathan groaned. He put his arm around his son's shoulders as they began to walk along the shore line with the waves washing up against their feet. Nathan was quiet while he waited for his son to talk. He could tell something was weighing on his son's heart, and he knew that Robert needed to bring things up in his own time. Nathan gazed out at the deep blue ocean seeing the shimmering water ripple in the wind. It was such a stunning sight._

 _"I didn't think this was going to be so hard." Bobby's voice sounded thick. Nathan stopped walking and looked into his son's dark brown eyes. He felt his heart quicken when he saw tears in the young man's eyes._

 _"Bobby? What is it?" He couldn't keep the concern from his voice._

 _Bobby clenched his jaw as he scrubbed a hand over his face. "Dad, I've missed you so much." Nathan furrowed his brow at the words. What on earth would make his son say such a strange thing? Robert wasn't known to be an overly emotional person._

 _"Robert? You're acting really odd. Are you alright?"_

 _"I'm fine." Robert smiled. "Can't a son miss his dad without getting the third degree?"_

 _Nathan nodded. "I suppose." He hesitated as he glanced deeply into his son's eyes. Tears still swam in the young man's eyes, making Nathan feel disconcerted._

 _Bobby took a deep breath and resumed walking. Nathan followed with a foreboding feeling in the depths of his gut._

 _"Dad, I don't really know how to say this, so I'm just going to come out with it."_

 _"That's the best way to handle things, in my opinion," said Nathan, feeling relieved that Bobby wasn't going to keep him in the dark any longer._

 _"Just don't say anything until I'm finished, ok?"_

 _Nathan crinkled his forehead but nodded without saying anything. Robert was acting extremely strange, and it was making Nathan feel nervous._

 _"What happened wasn't your fault. You did everything you could to keep Lucas safe. You did everything you could to keep Dosa calm and talking. It wasn't your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself and go home. Lucas needs you. Kristin needs you."_

 _Nathan felt his heart rate increase in his chest. What was Robert talking about? He opened his mouth to speak, but Robert raised his hand to prevent him._

 _"Don't say anything, Dad, please, just listen to me." Nathan closed his mouth and stared at Robert. His heart was racing fiercely in his chest. "You were shot, and you lost a lot of blood, but you're healing well. Kristin visits you every day. If you open your heart, you will remember hearing her voice."_

 _Nathan's jaw dropped as images of a beautiful red-headed woman flashed in his mind's eye. He blinked in confusion. He could see her sitting across from him in an uncomfortable chair in a hospital room. He could hear her speaking softly to him and caressing his hand._ _ **Why does she look so familiar?**_

 _"I know being here with Mom feels right to you but, Dad, Kristin and Lucas need you much more than Mom and I do right now. Mom and I have one another and we're happy. I can take care of mom for you, and we can wait to be with you. It's not the time for you to be with us just yet. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Tears fell down Robert's cheeks as he spoke._

 _"Robert, you aren't making any sense…"_

 _Robert sighed as he put a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "I know this is hard for you. I know you blame yourself for Lucas getting hurt, but it wasn't your fault. You did everything you could. You need to forgive yourself, Dad, and try to remember, okay? Lucas is really struggling right now. He won't talk to anyone about what happened to him. He's blaming himself. He needs you. Kristin is pretending she's okay, and she's really not. She's playing her little denial game. She needs you to help her face what happened and heal. Kristin and Lucas are your family now, Dad. I can take care of Mom until you come back, but for now, we're doing okay, and it's not your time to be with us just yet."_

 _Nathan closed his eyes. He felt the air being sucked from his lungs as his mind filled with images. Pictures of a young, blond-haired teen boy flashed in his mind. The boy was sobbing and clinging to him for dear life. The scene caught him off guard and he gasped._ _ **Lucas? Oh, Lucas, don't cry, I'm here, kiddo.**_ _Nathan's eyes flew open. How did he know that boy? More images flashed across his mind's eye, pictures of him swimming with the teenager and laughing. He knew that child. How?_

 _"Lucas depends on you, Dad, and you need each other. You have to wake up!"_

 _Nathan frowned. Wake up? What the heck was Robert talking about?_

"Captain, it's all my fault you got hurt! I'm so sorry for everything. Please, wake up. I need you!" Heart-piercing sobs filling the room.

"Nathan, we love you and miss you." More crying and sorrowful sobs.

 _"Please, Dad, remember," pleaded Robert._

 _Nathan put a hand over his mouth as his mind was flooded with more memories. He began to remember things that made his heart ache, recollections of bloodshed and horrific pain. He stifled a sob that was growing in the pit of his stomach. He felt Robert wrap his arms around him and hold him. Lucas. Kristin. Nathan eyes opened wide as he remembered. Lucas did need him and so did Kristin._

 _"It's okay, Dad. Mom and I are okay. You can go to them now."_

 _Nathan allowed the tears to fall down his cheeks as he felt Robert embrace him tightly._

" _I've missed you! Robert, tell your mother that I love her. I need…" The words died on his lips. He didn't have the words to explain, but he was thankful Robert seemed to know and understand._

 _Robert pulled away and smiled tearfully at him. "She knows, Dad."_

 _Nathan turned to walk away but stopped briefly to look at Robert again._

 _"Take care of that honey-do list for me?"_

 _Robert laughed. "You can count on it."_

 _Nathan turned again and started to walk into the distance. The further away he walked, the more he heard sobbing and soft voices. He strained his ears to listen. The crying sounded so mournful that tears welled up in his eyes._ _ **Lucas, kiddo, I'm coming. It's going to be okay. Please stop crying. I'm here.**_

"Don't cry, kiddo," mumbled Nathan as he reached out a hand to caress the boy's soft hair. Nathan's eyes fluttered as he opened them to see Lucas clinging to his hospital gown. He tightened his grip on the boy's hair which caused him to startle.

"Captain?" came the soft, hoarse voice.

Nathan managed a weak smile. "Hey, you're wrinkling my highly stylish hospital gown." He saw Lucas break into a large, red-eyed grin before the kid collapsed into him once again, hugging him for all he was worth.

Nathan grimaced unintentionally. _Yup, that hurts!_ He sucked back a deep breath and tried not to pull away. He realised that Lucas was frightened. He moved his head when he saw a flash of movement from the corner of his eyes and a grin spread across his face.

"Kris!" He was rewarded with a million dollar smile. Tears escaped down her cheeks as she squeezed his hand.

"It's about time you woke up, Lazy bones," she said with mock scolding in her voice. "The rest of us have been doing all the work while you slept."

Nathan chuckled weakly, but it ended up turning into a coughing fit. He raised his hand to cover his mouth but couldn't stop the coughing. His throat hurt and his chest burned like fire each time he coughed. He was grateful when someone pulled Lucas away and offered him a cold glass of water. After several minutes, he managed to catch his breath once again. His eyes were watery from coughing but he soon was able to focus again.

"Don't try to talk too much, Nathan. Just get some rest. We'll be here when you wake up." Nathan nodded and closed his eyes. He did feel tired, almost like he had been on a long trip and had jet lag. He heard soft voices in the room but in time everything faded to darkness.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Mitch and Kristin ushered Lucas from the room only to be confronted by one the nurses on duty. It was obvious how irate the nurses were that Lucas had been allowed in the room when it was against the rules of the hospital.

Kristin immediately raised her hand to stop them. "Before you continue your admonishments, check your monitors. Captain Bridger is awake."

The anger seemed to drain from the woman's face as she digested the information. Red-faced, she disappeared into Nathan's room. Kristin heard Mitch chuckling behind her. Lucas just stood quietly beside him with tears-stained cheeks. The poor kid looked exhausted but, at the same time, a look of elation covered his face.

"You're an impressive woman, Kristin," said Mitch, a look of respect on his face.

Kristin waved her hand. "Don't be silly. I only pointed out the obvious."

"When can we go back in?" asked Lucas, interrupting them.

Mitch put an arm around Lucas' shoulder kindly and pulled him close. Kristin's heart warmed when she saw Lucas relax somewhat and lean into Mitch. The more she saw Mitch and Lucas together, the more convinced she was that Mitch was the right medicine for the teenager. They both had so much in common and over the past week, she'd come to realise how much Mitch was hurting too. Kristin chewed on her lip and inwardly smiled. What was it about Lucas and now Mitch that brought out her motherly instincts? Kristin secretly hoped to find out more about Mitch. Something about the young scientist touched her heart. Mitch had a story to tell, and Kristin was going to find out what it was about the man that drew her to him.

"I think the captain needs some time to rest, Lucas," said Mitch, looking at his watch. "And I told Eric that I'd get you to him on time today."

Lucas took a few steps away from Mitch, his defenses flying up. "I don't want to talk to him today. I'll wait here." Lucas walked towards the chairs in the ICU waiting room and sat down. Kristin saw Mitch cast her a look of concern. Kristin knew that it would be impossible to convince Lucas to do anything he didn't want to do. Nathan was the only one who had the influence to change Lucas' mind about anything.

Mitch wandered over and sat down beside Lucas quietly. Kristin sighed and took a seat with them as well. It might be awhile before any of them would be able to get back in to see Nathan, and Kristin was feeling weary herself. She would need to return to her own room to rest soon. If she hoped to recover and be released, she needed to get some rest herself.

"Are you alright, Kristin?" asked Mitch.

"Just tired." Kristin reached out and turned Lucas' chin to face her. "He's awake, Lucas. He's going to be just fine. You can count on that, alright?"

Lucas nodded. "I'm sorry, Dr. Westphalen. Would you like me to walk you back to your room?"

Kristin smiled at him warmly. "I'd rather if you'd go keep your appointment with Eric." Lucas made a face and opened his mouth to protest, but Kristin held up her finger to stop him. "I'm hoping to be released in a few days, and I'd like you to come back to SeaQuest with me, but if you keep fighting Eric, he's not going to let you go. Just tell him how you're feeling in here, Lucas." Kristin tapped his chest gently where his heart beat quickly.

Lucas looked away. "I'm fine. I don't need to talk to Eric about anything."

Kristin dropped her hand into her lap and sighed. "Okay." There was no use wasting her words and energy. She leaned back her head against the wall and closed her eyes to wait.

 _Several hours later_.

Kristin lifted her chin slightly as she stretched out her neck. Mitch, Lucas and she had been sitting in the waiting room waiting patiently for permission to visit Nathan again. A couple of hours had passed and none of them had said much. Kristin felt so drained, and if the truth were known, she hadn't been sleeping well at night either. Whenever she closed her eyes, she relived the whole event over, especially the last couple of hours in the hostage room; it seemed forever burned into her consciousness. She was trying to brush things under her mental rug and ignore her own emotions. It was getting more difficult, and once she had seen Nathan awake, she longed so much to feel his strong arms around her and to hear him say that everything was going to be okay. But she knew he needed time to heal, time to process his own feelings. All of them were wounded.

"Excuse me, Dr. Westphalen?" said a soft voice. Kristin looked up to see the nurse standing in the doorway of the waiting room. "Captain Bridger would like to see you for a few minutes."

"How's he doing?" asked Kristin, rising to her feet and patting Lucas on the knee.

The nurse smiled much more kindly this time. "He's doing well. The doctor is coming to check on him in a little bit, but his vitals are strong, and he is asking to see you and Lucas."

Kristin saw Lucas jump to his feet, but the nurse held up her hand quickly. "You first Dr. Westphalen." Lucas sat down again, looking dejected. "I'm sorry, Lucas, but you aren't supposed to be in there at all. The hospital doesn't allow anyone under the age of 16 into ICU at all, but since Captain Bridger insisted, I will make an exception this once. But after today, you will need to wait until he is transferred to another room off this ward."

"When will that be?" asked Mitch, placing a hand on Lucas' drooped shoulders once again.

"He should be able to move to a room sometime tomorrow if the doctor gives his okay." The news seemed to perk Lucas up a little which made Kristin feel a little better about leaving him with Mitch. She followed the nurse back towards Nathan's room and entered behind her.

"Try to keep your visits to 15 minutes each," said the nurse and she left the room.

Kristin smiled warmly at Nathan who was sitting up in bed looking much better than he did earlier. He had colour in his cheeks and an equally warm smile on his face.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, Doctor," said Nathan. Kristin felt the impulse to throw herself into his arms. She was so relieved to see him awake and looking more like himself. She forced herself to walk to him more nonchalantly than she felt. She took his warm hand in hers and silently thanked God for the strength she felt in it. She sat down in the chair beside his bed and tried to keep herself calm and upbeat.

"I could say the same for you." Her voice was soft and she felt tears sting her eyes. She didn't want to cry right now. There would be time for tears later when she was by herself. Right now she just wanted to bask in the time she had with him. "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep until Christmas."

Nathan gave her a sheepish grin. "Well, you know, I was enjoying my dreams far too much to wake up." He winked at her, and she allowed herself to laugh, although she didn't really feel like laughing. Her emotions were all over the place. She was surprised at all the things she was feeling as she gazed into his familiar dark brown eyes. She even felt a hint of anger brewing deep within her, and it caught her off guard.

"How are you feeling, Nathan."

"Sore. Every time I breathe, I get this piercing pain in my chest." He winced almost like he was proving his point.

"It's no wonder you hurt. You were shot at very close range, Nathan." This time Kristin's voice caught in her throat. "You almost died." Tears did fill her eyes and roll down her cheeks this time.

"Kristin…shh…don't cry," said Nathan, tightening his grasp on her hand. She looked up at him, and he turned to his side, attempting to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Everything's going to be alright. We'll get pass this." His voice sounded so strong and reassuring, but it only served to open her flood gates no matter how hard as she tried to stop it.

"I thought I'd lost you, Nathan. I thought we were all going to die in that room." She hesitated a moment as she choked back a sob. Her inhibitions were falling down around her, and she was feeling more and more unsettled.

"Oh, Kris," Nathan's voice broke as well as he looked at her. Kristin rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, and he pulled her into himself. They didn't need words in that moment. They both were clinging to hope and second chances.


	28. Chapter 28

**HAPPY Canada Day and 4th of July!**

Lucas closed his eyes as he lifted his face up towards the sky, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. Everything smelled fresh and new after a major thunderstorm had just cleared the air of the recent humidity. Lucas had wandered outside the hospital and found a bench. He'd made the mistake of sitting down without looking and quickly realised the back of his jeans were drenched. He groaned slightly to himself thinking he would need to wear the damp jeans until he returned to SeaQuest, but then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips thinking about going home. Home. Even the word sounded good in his head. It had been a rough couple of weeks since Captain Bridger had awoken from his coma, and Lucas looked forward to being back on SeaQuest and life getting back to some kind of normalcy. He was tired of everyone harping at him to talk about his feelings and asking him if he was alright. Truth be known, he didn't think he'd ever be all right ever again. But at least on SeaQuest he would feel safe. He hoped. He didn't feel safe now. His dreams haunted him every time he closed his eyes. And there was no way he was going to discuss it with his counselor. He was sick to death of everyone pushing him to talk. He didn't want to talk about anything. He just wanted to resume life where he'd left off and forget about the Summit room, the terrorists, the dead bodies and the beatings.

Tears pricked his eyes, threatening to fall as Lucas dropped his chin and stared at the pavement, lost in thought. He hated the emotional roller coaster he was on, and he wished he could just forget everything. He was relieved that Captain Bridger was finally able to return to the boat as well. It had been terrifying to him when he thought the man might die. He wasn't sure he could go on if he didn't have the one person who was a constant in his life. The one person he counted on to be there for him. Or at least he thought the captain would be there for him. He hadn't stopped Dosa from beating him. Lucas dug his fingernails into his hands as his thoughts went in a direction he promised himself he wouldn't let them go. What happened wasn't Captain Bridger's fault. Lucas dug his fingernails in hard enough to feel them bit into his skin. He needed to stop dwelling on things. He looked at the palms of his hands as he chewed the inside of his lip. He had drawn blood again. He wiped his hands on his jeans as his mind turned to Dr. Westphalen. She had returned home to SeaQuest a week prior and just as she had predicted, Lucas' counsellor, Eric, had refused to release Lucas. He'd been angry in the beginning, but Captain Bridger had convinced him to remain calm, and the additional week had given the two of them plenty of one on one time. Lucas had to admit that he'd enjoyed having the Captain to himself. The older man hadn't pushed him too much to talk, and it had really been a time for the two of them to relax. Lucas knew that once they returned back to the boat, life would very quickly become busy for the Captain. Lucas was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear someone walk up behind him. He startled when he felt a warm hand in his shoulder.

"Feeling ready to go back to the SeaQuest?"

Lucas twirled around to see the Captain smiling at him. The older man looked so much healthier and more vibrant than he had several weeks ago. He was still weak and would need to take it easy, but Lucas was relieved to see him up and around and acting like his old self once more.

"It'll be nice to get things back to normal." Lucas shifted himself on the bench to allow the Captain room to sit as well.

The captain sat with a sigh and patted him on the knee. "I think it's going to be a long while before things get back to the way they were, kiddo. I don't know about you, but I feel like life has changed somewhat. I don't think things are going to feel normal again for a very long time."

Lucas blinked back some tears that were hovering on the surface. He groaned at the captain's words and for some reason he felt a flash of anger. The anger surprised him.

"Lucas, I haven't been pushing you to talk about things because I figured you'd come to me when you're ready, but I'm going to give you a little peek into my thoughts for a few moments if you don't mind," said Nathan looking seriously at him.

"Captain," protested Lucas, but Nathan touched his hand to Lucas' cheek.

"Just listen for a sec, okay."

Lucas closed his mouth and hid his face in his hands forlornly. He'd half expected the captain to do something like this and was seriously hoping for the sidewalk to open up and swallow him.

"I just spoke with Eric…"

"He's not supposed to tell you anything, Captain. What about doctor/patient confidentiality?" Lucas felt his temper flare.

"Hang on; I never said he told me anything, Lucas. What he did say is that he's concerned, and so am I, for that matter. It's been nearly a month since the attack, and you've shut down on everyone, kiddo, and it's not healthy."

"I don't want to talk about it." Lucas stood to his feet and started to walk away. He felt a strong hand on his own, and he stopped to see the Captain had grasped his arm.

"Now wait a minute. Don't walk away from me like that." The captain's voice was firm. "I've given you plenty of space haven't I? I haven't pushed you to talk…"

"I appreciate that, Captain," said Lucas, fidgeting enough to free his arm from the captain's grasp.

"Well, how about I share with you how I feel."

Lucas sighed. "If it's all the same to you, Captain, I'd rather not know." Lucas looked into the Captain's eyes, and he saw hurt flash in them. It made his heart ache to see it, but Lucas didn't want to discuss what happened with anyone. The cuts and the bruises were nearly healed. He'd always have some scars, and he could live with that, but he just didn't want the memories that went with them.

Nathan stuck his hands in his pockets, a strained look on his face. "Oh, Lucas, I'm so incredibly sorry. I hope one day you'll be able to forgive me."

Lucas' jaw dropped in shock. He felt like he'd had all the wind knocked out of him. Tears filled his eyes and as much as he tried to hold them back, they rolled down his cheeks. Soon from deep down in his guts, sobs erupted and racked his shoulders as he covered his face with his hands. He couldn't move or speak. Anger bubbled up from deep within him. This was the exact reason why he didn't want to talk about it. His emotions were all over the place, and he didn't even understand them.

"Lucas," came the captain's soft voice. Then Lucas felt strong arms pull him into an embrace. "It's okay, kiddo. I'm here and we're going to get through this. I know you're confused, scared and angry, and it's all normal."

Lucas pulled away. "No, stop it," he choked, "it's never going to be the same again. Oh, God, I don't want to talk about this. Captain, please." Lucas hesitated as he choked back more tears. He didn't want to be touched so he took several steps back and away. He didn't want to enter that door of remembrance. He didn't want to release the emotions. He'd worked too hard to contain them, and if he let them have free reign, he might never be able to piece himself back together ever again. He couldn't let that happen. He needed to maintain control.

The captain looked at him intently and to Lucas it felt like the gaze was burning a hole in his very soul. So much needed to be said yet so much was left unsaid. The pain and inner turmoil was maddening.

"I felt so helpless, Lucas. Dosa was hurting you, and I wanted to kill him with my bare hands. It was like a knife being thrust into my heart and being twisted in circles. I couldn't breathe." Lucas felt his own heart ache when he heard the Captain's pained words tumble from his lips. It wasn't anything Lucas hadn't known already. He knew the reality of the situation more than anyone, and deep down, he didn't blame the captain. More than anything, he blamed himself. Lucas sucked in a haggard breath. The captain kept his hands on his arms, clinging to him firmly. Lucas felt like he needed to get away. He couldn't deal with this intense emotion. If he stayed, he would lose it.

"When Dosa was beating you with his belt, I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around you and protect you, but I couldn't. I had to remain calm. It was so hard to keep my cool watching you being hurt so badly. It was literally killing me." Lucas felt hot tears spill down his cheeks. His heart was beating furiously in his chest, and he was feeling like he was going to panic. He bit back words that were forming on his lips. Words that he promised himself he would never say.

"Please," begged Lucas, his voice was a whisper. Nathan expression was piercing Lucas' heart. It was a look of complete helplessness. Lucas knew logically that everything the captain was saying was the truth. He knew that he couldn't have done anything to stop Dosa. He knew it was the truth. But deep inside, in that part of him that was a frightened little boy, Lucas did blame Nathan. The captain reached up and brushed a tear from his cheek.

Lucas pulled away abruptly. "Look, I don't want to talk about this, alright?" He plunged his hands in his pockets and kept backing away.

Nathan's hands dropped to his sides. "Lucas."

Lucas shook his head. "No, just leave me be!" Lucas walked off at high speed back towards the hospital entrance. He still had packing to do, and it was better than talking.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Kristin closed her car door slowly as she dug through her purse looking for her parking pass. She knew she'd stuffed the ticket into her bag after she had come into the parking area, but she'd been so distracted by her thoughts at the time that she forgot where she put it. She took a few steps sideways and bumped into the car beside her. She looked up to see a familiar face step out of the car. She smiled brightly when she saw Mitch staring at her.

"Good morning, Mitch. I didn't expect to see you here today." Kristin continued to look for her parking pass in her purse as she saw him open his back door.

"Lose something?"

"I seem to have misplaced my parking ticket." Kristin signed despairingly as she continued to search each pocket of her purse. It just felt like she was always so distracted lately, and it bothered her. "Are you feeling all right?" she asked suddenly looking up, wondering why Mitch was at the hospital.

"Who me?" Mitch looked surprised at the question. "Oh yes, I'm fine. I wanted to spend a few more minutes with Lucas before he was whisked away to SeaQuest. He seemed really troubled yesterday, and I couldn't seem to get him out of my mind."

Kristin eyed Mitch quietly. She knew Lucas was still struggling with things but whenever she heard someone else mention it, it just reinforced the idea in her mind causing her to worry. She sighed as she dropped her purse to her side. It was no use, she couldn't find the ticket. She watched as Mitch shuffled around in his back seat and her jaw dropped when Mitch pulled a small blond-haired child out of the car. She was dressed in a darling pink Oshkosh jumper with frilly white socks and black Maryjane's. The little girl wrapped her arms around Mitch as he attempted to put her feet to the ground.

"Carry me, daddy," whined the child.

Kristin's eyes widened at the girls' words. Mitch was a father? It was a complete surprise to her. It just seemed to reinforce how little Kristin really knew about the man who had seemed to become such a part of their lives the last few weeks.

"God gave you two strong legs, Trin. I'm sure you can walk on them just fine," replied Mitch as he set the little girl down and grasped her hand. Mitch looked up seeing Kristin's shocked expression, and he smiled in response.

"I guess I never mentioned I had a daughter."

Kristin smiled. "No, you didn't. She's beautiful." Kristin glanced at the petite little girl who noticed she was being looked at by a stranger. The child disappeared behind her father, hiding behind his leg. She looked to be about five or six years old and had big brown eyes. Mitch pulled the little girl's hand sideways which forced her to come out from behind his leg.

"This little moppet is Trinity Rose," said Mitch, placing his hand on her head. The little girl wrinkled her nose and looked upwards at her father but remained silent. "Trin, say hello to Dr. Westphalen."

"Hi, Dr. Wespfailhen," said Trinity softly, her nose still wrinkled. "I don't like when he calls me Trinity Rose." The girl looked at Kristin like she might be an ally against her father.

Kristin smirked at the child. "I think Trinity Rose is a perfectly lovely name, and if it's alright with your daddy, you may call me Kristin."

"How about Dr. West? Is that a compromise?" asked Mitch, glancing at Kristin and then down at his daughter. Trinity grinned and Kristin nodded her agreement. She immediately understood that Mitch wanted to keep the formality with his daughter. Nathan had wanted the same for Lucas, which was why the teenager still called her Dr. Westphalen and him, Captain Bridger. It was like a reminder to children to be polite and respectful to their elders which wasn't a bad thing.

"Dr. Wesp," repeated Trinity. Kristin smiled again. "Krispin is a lovely name too." The child cupped her mouth slightly and leaned towards Kristin. "But my daddy thinks it's rude for kids to use grown up names." Trinity rolled her eyes endearingly as she reached out her hand to shake Kristin's. Kristin couldn't help but be captured by the child's friendly demeanor.

Mitch mussed up the child's long hair lovingly. "Hey, don't be cheeky Lil Miss." He scooped her up over his head and planted her on his shoulders. Trinity squealed in delight and grasped onto his neck as he held tightly to her ankles.

"Trinity has been staying with my parents while I've been here, but I thought since I'm going to be Miami for a while that I'd bring her here to be with me. Her mother passed away a couple of years ago," explained Mitch as he closed the back of his car and locked the vehicle.

Kristin and Mitch fell into step as they walked across the parking lot towards the hospital entrance. Trinity began to jabber away about things she saw on their brief walk to the double doors.

"Duck, daddy," hollered Trinity as Mitch came near the doors.

Mitch ducked just in time and then dropped Trinity to her feet. He took the little girl by the hand and stopped to look at Kristin.

"When is Lucas being released?"

Kristin shrugged. "I'm on my way to see Nathan to find out." She tilted her head to the side as she watched Trinity yank on his hand with an impish look on her face. It was odd to think of him as a father, but Kristin had noticed how great Mitch was with Lucas. He seemed such a natural with the teen. Her curiosity was piqued all the more to find out more about Mitch. "Have you had a chance to speak with Nathan yet?"

Mitch pulled his daughter in closer to him. "No. I keep meaning to but haven't found an opportunity yet."

Kristin frowned. "You haven't spoken to him even once since he's been here. If I didn't know better, I would think you're avoiding him." Kristin looked at Mitch's face momentarily, and she saw a hint of colour brush across his cheeks. Trinity stood beside him twirling her skirt, seemingly obvious to her surroundings. "Mitch?" she questioned again.

"I guess I am." Mitch seemed to fidget in his spot and then he sighed. "I already know Captain Bridger, Kristin." Mitch walked towards the foyer and sat on a chair, pulling Trinity onto his lap. Trinity smiled at Kristin who followed them but remained quiet. Mitch pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to his daughter. She slipped to the floor and sat on the chair beside him, content to play with it.

"How do you know Nathan?"

"I served aboard the Pegasus." Mitch hesitated and dropped his gaze to the floor not continuing. Kristin recognised the name of the vessel Nathan's son, Robert, served on.

Kristen was taken aback. "You knew Robert?"

"Bobby was my friend." Mitch's voice cracked as he looked up at her. Kristin could see the man's eyes so full of emotion. She almost thought he'd break down, but just as quickly the emotion was tucked away once again.

Kristin felt her stomach flutter. "Then why would you avoid Nathan? I'm sure he would love to see anyone who knew Robert." She could feel the tension in the room.

Mitch stood to his feet and paced the room, wringing his hands together. Kristin knit her brows together in concern. She couldn't understand why Mitch was acting so strangely. The man had been such a wonderful friend to Lucas and the two of them had felt an immediate connection. Kristin felt sure that Nathan would instantly like Mitch. What was it about Mitch that seemed to draw her to him? Was it the mystery that blanketed him? His quiet presence? His kindness to Lucas?

"I'm certain he won't want to see me." Mitch pressed his lips together and glanced around the room uneasily. "I was fooling myself to think I could be part of your science team, Kristin. I should just say my goodbyes to Lucas and head back home."

Kristin rose to her feet and touched Mitch's arm gently. Something didn't feel right to her, and Mitch's worried expression only added to her concern.

"Well, since you brought it up, I wanted to tell you that your security clearance was accepted. I was going to wait until we met with Lucas to tell you. I'd like to offer you a six month position on SeaQuest to help us study the Cyanobacteria." Kristin could almost see the neurons in Mitch's brain jump to life. His eyes twinkled with unbridled interest, but at the same time, defeat shrouded his features.

"I'm flattered by your offer, Kristin, but I couldn't leave Trinity for that long."

Kristin glanced at the little girl who seemed fully occupied by her father's phone.

"You're welcome to bring her with you. Many of the scientists aboard SeaQuest have their families with them. Trinity wouldn't be the only child aboard." Kristin watched as Mitch raked a hand through his hair. For the first time, Kristin noticed the dark circles under his eyes and how pale he appeared. She had been so preoccupied with her own mixed up feelings and uncertainties that she hadn't given much thought to how Mitch had been affected. She knew he'd lost some dear friends and had been impacted by Lucas' behaviour as well. Mitch had latched onto Lucas for some reason and wasn't willing to let the teenager go.

Mitch stuck his hands in his pockets and his gaze dropped to his shoes.

"Your offer is a dream come true, Kristin. I can't even begin to tell you what an honour it would be to work on the SeaQuest and get that kind of hands on experience. My associates at Berkeley would be in awe of such an opportunity."

"Then say you accept," prompted Kristin.

Mitch averted his eyes and his shoulders drooped causing Kristin to place her hand on his wrist. Mitch looked up and blinked hard. Kristin could see the tears shimmering in his eyes now.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or do I need to bring Nathan directly to you and get this whole thing worked out right now?"

Mitch shuddered and lifted his hand. "No, don't do that!" He shook his head as he sucked in a deep breath. "I was with Bobby when he died." Mitch licked his lips before continuing. "I came home to my parents, but Bobby didn't make it. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him and blame myself."

"Oh, Mitch," began Kristin but he waved his hand to stop her.

"I went to the Memorial and attempted to speak with Captain Bridger, to tell him I was sorry, but he was so angry. He told me to never speak to him again."

"Mitch, you don't need to be sorry for surviving. I'm sure Nathan never meant to insinuate that. He was hurting. He lost his only son." Kristin attempted to explain as she looked at Mitch with compassion. She could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I came to the Summit Conference reluctantly and when Lucas initially told me that Nathan Bridger was the captain of SeaQuest, I almost made a beeline for the door. I'm unsure how I feel about my decision to stay. Staying or leaving wouldn't have changed the outcome for my friends, but if I'd left, I wouldn't have developed the relationship I have with Lucas. I really care about Lucas."

"I know you do." Anyone who had seen the two of them together could tell that Mitch and Lucas had grown very close, especially over the past several weeks while Lucas was confined to the hospital.

Mitch lifted his head and peered at the ceiling. "Look, I'm just going to visit Lucas for a bit and introduce him to Trin. For now, it's all I can handle. I hope you understand."

Kristin nodded and offered him a sympathetic smile.

"I hope you will consider my offer, Mitch. I won't lie to you. SeaQuest could really use a man with your credentials." Kristin offered him a grateful and encouraging smile. "And Lucas could sure use your friendship as well."

The corners of Mitch's mouth pulled into an easy smile. "I'll give it some careful thought, Kristin. I still have your number. When does SeaQuest break dock?"

"Two days."

"Alrighty then. If you don't hear from me by then, assume I've headed back to SoCal with Trin." Mitch stooped down to his daughter's level. "How about you and I going and visiting my friend I told you about?"

Trinity's face broke into a grin as she glanced at Kristin. "Daddy's friend has a pet dolphin named Darwin," explained the little girl. She rolled her little eyes slightly. "I think he's telling me a story."

Kristin smirked. "Darwin could tell you a few stories."

The little girl's eyes grew wide. "You know Darwin?" Kristin nodded as Mitch rose to his feet and took his daughter by the hand to leave the room. "So he's real?" Kristin nodded but couldn't suppress her giggle at the surprised look on the young girl's face.

"Ask Lucas to show you a few pictures when you see him," said Kristin.

They said their goodbyes as Mitch left the room with Trinity in tow. Kristin followed them until they reached the elevator, and Mitch kept walking past. Kristin smiled to herself as she entered the elevator. She knew exactly where Mitch was headed before seeing Lucas. There were still three bottle-nosed dolphins left at the gift shop, and she felt fairly certain that Trinity was going to own one by the end of the day.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoOo_

Nathan groaned as he picked up his duffel bag from the floor. His shoulder still ached reminding him of things he wished he could forget. The confines of the hospital and the need to rest and heal had robbed him of the time he needed to have some real important conversations. He felt frustrated all the way around. His doctor had just left his room after signing his release forms. Nathan was finally free to go home. Home. Where exactly was home for him? SeaQuest? It had always felt like home. He loved his work. His doctor had firmly informed him that he was releasing him to rest for several more weeks. The surgeon had made his opinion known very fervently. No strenuous work for 14 days and after that only light duty for several more weeks. Nathan grimaced as he set the bag on his unkempt bed. There was no worry with him overdoing it anytime soon. The pain that radiated down his shoulder into his neck and arm was enough of a reminder to take it easy. Besides, if he was to be honest with himself, he had no inclination to jump back into work. He needed some time to think and ponder things. A lump formed in his throat when he thought of Lucas and their earlier conversation. The kid was hurting badly and somehow Nathan needed to break through that protective wall he had built up.

Nathan sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. It looked like a florist had gone out of business in his room. There were more bouquets of the flowers than he could possibly manage to take with him. He had thought of offering them to the hospice as gifts for the patients who were dying. Perhaps it would cheer them up some. The beautiful plants were a reminder that people cared about him, and it brought a smile to his face. He reached for the card in the bouquet of chrysanthemums on his night stand. Kristin's lovely, crisp and neat cursive greeted his eyes: _Get well soon, Nathan. Love Kris_ , the note read _._ A smile tugged at his lips for a moment and then faded away just as quickly. Kristin was another one his heart so longed to have a serious conversation with. She visited him every day since her release, fussing over him in her mother hen way, but she dodged all his attempts at meaningful dialogue. It had left him feeling unsettled. He had so much to say to Lucas and Kristin both. They needed to hear his heart. He needed to share with them how he was feeling, and he needed to know their inner most feelings as well.

A soft knock at the door pulled his attention from the card. His smile quickly returned when he saw the object of his thoughts sashay into the room. Nathan felt his breath catch in his throat. Kristin looked stunning in an emerald green and floral sundress. She greeted him with a warm smile that reached her eyes. As much as Nathan wanted so badly to have a serious conversation with her, he never wanted to see the light in her eyes fade. Something about her warm smile lit a fire deep in his soul, and he never wanted to do anything to snuff it out. So each time he saw her, he lost his courage to start the discussion that he so desperately longed to have with her.

"Nathan, you're looking well today."

Nathan stood to his feet and stuffed his sweater in his bag with a grin. "Well enough to blow this Popsicle stand."

A grin spread across Kristin's face. "I'm pleased to hear that. Joshua can stop babying me and target a new patient." Nathan grimaced at the thought but chuckled at the smirk on Kristin's face.

"Is the pain gone, Kris?"

She waved a dismissive hand. "Oh goodness, yes, a long time ago. The only thing wrong with me now is boredom. I can't wait to get the go ahead to resume my normal duties. I'm going positively stir crazy on SeaQuest, and Joshua keeps shooing me off Seadeck."

It made Nathan happy to hear that Dr. Joshua Levin could stand up to Kristin. She was a force to be reckoned with, but Josh Levin seemed to have no troubles taming her temper.

"I'm glad to hear it. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight."

"I'll bet. Where's Lucas? I thought he'd be with you. Has Eric released him into your custody?"

Nathan blinked, trying to keep his face from showing his concern. "Eric released him tentatively." Nathan hesitated not knowing if he should share his worries with Kristin or just let it drop.

"Tentatively?" echoed Kristin, a perplexed look filling her features. _Too late,_ thought Nathan. Kristin cared for Lucas just as much as he did. It was better if he shared his concerns with her rather than try to hide them. Nathan sighed. A part of him hoped opening this door about his uncertainties for Lucas would make her realise just how much anxiety he was really holding back. He just didn't know how to broach the topic, and it was really wearing him down.

"He's not talking, Kris."

"But I thought he was opening up a little with Eric. He mentioned…"

"He lied," interrupted Nathan, knowing she was going to mention the story Lucas had told everyone. Nathan had conferred with Eric and found out that Lucas hadn't opened up at all and was remaining tight lipped about everything.

Kristin's face drained of colour and she sat down in a chair by the window.

"I tried to share with him some of my feelings this morning, and he shut me down as well. He refuses to discuss anything to do with the hostage taking. I've tried to let him come to me on his own but its taking too long. I'm worried about him." Nathan inhaled a deep breath. He wanted to add 'and I'm worried about you too' to the end of his sentence but he didn't. He wasn't sure he had the strength to get into an altercation with Kristin as well, after he was still stinging inside from Lucas' outburst earlier.

Kristin played with the silver amethyst ring on her finger seeming to be lost in her own thoughts momentarily. Nathan walked towards her and sat in a chair opposite her. She looked up at him, and Nathan stifled a gasp when he saw tears in her eyes.

"Kris?"

She blinked back the tears threatening to fall. "I'm just being silly."

"Talk to me." Nathan reached out his hand and clasped hers in his. Her hands felt cold and clammy causing his heart to sink. She wasn't doing as well as she made out. His instincts were right.

"I'm frightened, Nathan."

Nathan cast a sympathetic glance, hoping she would go deeper than that. He didn't want to say anything to ruin the moment. He wanted her to be able to speak freely and label her emotions on her own, without him interfering.

"Are any of us ever going to be the same again?" Kristin fidgeted in her chair as Nathan massaged her hand lovingly. "Ben looks haunted as he wanders around the boat. Katie is on the verge of tears every time she sees him. She says he won't talk about anything to do with the hostage taking and insists he's fine. He doesn't even smile anymore. Tim and Miguel have thrown themselves so deeply into their duties that I never see them doing anything fun anymore. Tim's stopped praying. Jonathan barks at everyone and is avoiding people when he's off duty. Lucas won't talk and is lying to us. Mitch is afraid to even meet you, yet he's been pivotal in reaching out to Lucas. If Lucas will talk to anyone, it might be Mitch…" Kristin froze in her tirade, tears fell down her cheeks and her face flushed.

Nathan sucked in a breath. Mitch. There was that name again. Kristin had mentioned the man. Katie and Ben had shared about him. Lucas talked nonstop about him, yet Nathan had yet to meet the man that had so captured all their hearts. Kristin rattled off all his crew—his family—on SeaQuest and Mitch has just tumbled off her lips like he was part of it.

"Why doesn't he want to meet me?" asked Nathan, feeling almost hurt but not knowing why.

Kristin's mouth opened to speak and then shut again. She pulled her hand away and rose to her feet to look out the window. She crossed an arm across her waist, and Nathan could see her shoulders shudder as she succumbed to sobs. Nathan rose to his feet, wrapping his good arm around her. He felt a rush of guilt sweep across him. He couldn't stop feeling responsible for what went on in the Summit room. Everyone was holding on by a thread, and he felt helpless to do anything about it. Nathan kissed Kristin's head and just held her as she sobbed. He was at a loss for words to take her pain away. After a few moments, she turned to face him, tears still shimmering on her cheeks. Nathan's heart felt like it would shatter into a million pieces as he looked at the pain in her face.

"Some days, I can't breathe. I wake up so frightened expecting someone to call me out for what I did. For someone to call me a murderer." Tears fell in a steady stream down her cheeks, dripping onto her dress. "Each night when I close my eyes, I see his face glaring at me…accusing me of stealing his life from him. I killed a man, Nathan. I shot him in cold blood. What kind of monster am I?" Her eyes looked at him, pleading for understanding.

Nathan pulled her into a hug. "No, no, no. Kristin, you listen to me! You saved lives. You ended things. Everyone was waiting on baited breath for it to end. You were frightened. Lucas was in danger and you reacted." Nathan pulled back and tipped her head up to look her in the eyes. He wiped tears from her cheeks with his thumb. "If I could have done what you did, I would have in a heartbeat. You're a hero, Kristin! Dosa was a lunatic. Yes, it's a shame that he needed to be shot, but that was his choice. He wouldn't stand down. We tried to negotiate with him, but it was impossible!" Nathan shook her firmly when he saw her face cloud with disbelief. "Don't you dare blame yourself. You hear me?" She shook her head and looked away, and he shook her again. "NO, don't you shut me out, Kristin Westphalen. It wasn't your fault! You reacted to protect Lucas and me; don't you dare blame yourself for that. I love you, and I refuse to sit by and let you beat yourself up for loving us."

Kristin put a hand to her mouth and sobs consumed her. Nathan wrapped her in a tight embrace and rested his chin on her head. His heart ached as he listened to her release some of her pent up emotions. He closed his eyes and pushed back his own inner emotions. They would need to wait. He had a lot of mending to do himself but it sounded like he was needed to help others first. There would be time for him to deal with his own baggage later.


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note:**

 **Sorry, this update has taken so long. I have several chapters written but I've been ironing out some details and wanted to make sure this one had clarity. It is a stepping stone to others things to come. The summer has been busy with company. My Matron of Honor came and stayed for a week to visit me and then my parents came for a visit and then my aunt and uncle. It's been nearly impossible to find time to write and edit.**

 **Hopefully, I haven't lost all my readers all the way. I promise I will complete this story...I won't leave it floundering.**

 **Hope you are all having a splendid summer!**

 **Love,**

 **Jenny Wrens :)**

Nathan and Kristin walked down the corridor towards the elevator. They were on their way to where Lucas was staying. Both of them had been surprised the teenager hadn't sought them out a long time ago. It had taken Kristin some time to gain her composure, and Nathan hadn't rushed her. He'd been concerned for weeks that she had been sweeping her emotions under the carpet, so he was very relieved that she had finally allowed herself to open up a little. He still felt like she was holding back, but he wasn't going to push her to deal with things any more than he was Lucas. It took time to deal with grief. Nathan pushed the button to the elevator while he stole a glance at Kristin. She looked more at ease, and he felt his stomach tighten as guilt welled up within him. If he allowed himself to dwell for even a moment on the what-ifs, he would lose control of his own emotions. Now was not the time to wallow in self-pity, guilt, and remorse. People were relying on him to be strong for them. And, besides, he felt responsible for everyone. Hearing that his crew was struggling to recover from what happened was like a slap in the face. Nathan's jaw clenched remembering Kristin's words. He'd allowed things to linger for too long in that room. He should have ended things sooner, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to forgive himself for that. Kristin was plagued by guilt for shooting Dosa, and she was having a hard time letting it go. It should have been him who pulled the trigger, not Kristin. The thought made his heart skip a beat. It should have been his nightmare, and he'd give anything to take away her pain. He had to dust away the thoughts quickly lest he allow it room to fester.

The elevator door opened and Kristin and Nathan walked inside, still quiet. Kristin reached her hand out to Nathan with a small smile. Nathan returned her smile and clasped her hand tightly. It didn't feel like words were needed between them in that moment. However, the silence was comfortable, and Nathan had to admit he was glad for the reprieve. The ride to the eighth floor didn't take long and soon the door opened again and Kristin and Nathan walked out, heading towards Lucas' room.

"I hope he's in a better mood," muttered Nathan, remembering their earlier conversation.

Kristin offered an encouraging smile. "I'm sure he is," she assured him, "Mitch was bringing his daughter, Trinity, to meet him, and she was excited to hear all about Darwin."

Nathan tried to hide his grimace. Mitch. The name was becoming a sore spot for him. He didn't mean to allow it to bother him so much, but a part of him felt hurt that the man seemed to be avoiding him. Nathan felt it was odd that everyone spoke so highly of Mitch, yet the man hadn't even made it a priority to introduce himself. Lucas was Nathan's ward and his responsibility. No, Lucas was far more than that. Lucas was like his own son. Shouldn't Nathan know and meet the people who were an influence in his young life?

"Nathan?" prompted Kristin.

Nathan blinked his eyes a few times, realising that he had zoned for a moment.

"Sorry, just lost in thought for a moment. I'm eager to meet this Mitch," he commented, trying to mask his real feelings.

Nathan followed Kristin around the corner towards the teen mental health unit and saw a tall, physically fit man leading a small child by the hand, walking towards them with an anxious look on his face. The child was holding a stuffed dolphin almost as big as herself. Nathan's stomach fluttered as a feeling of Deja vu hit him. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he recognised the man.

"Kristin!" The man's voice was laced with concern. "Is Lucas with you?"

Kristin's face paled. "No. We were coming to get him. I thought he was with you and Trinity." The little girl looked up at Kristin with a smile showing off her stuffed animal.

"Krispin, look what my daddy bought me!" The little girls' face was aglow as she hugged the dolphin to her chest.

"He's wonderful, Trinity. He looks just like Darwin." Kristin smiled at the child before her face clouded again. Nathan felt his heart rate pick up a little. If Lucas wasn't in his room, where could he be? Then he remembered that Darwin was close by. Nathan had visited with his aquatic friend the day before, and Nathan had mentioned it to Lucas. Surely, Lucas had slipped to the docks to seek him out.

"Trin and I went to the gift store and were sidetracked by some whales we saw outside." Nathan smiled knowing it wasn't unusual to see a pod of whales in the area as the hospital was located on a pier close to the ocean. He'd seen plenty of whale pods himself while he was recovering. Somehow Nathan always felt more at peace when he was close to the ocean.

Nathan cleared his throat. "You must be Mitch Brady," he said, offering his hand to shake. Mitch nodded, notably nervous, and took his hand in a firm handshake. Nathan narrowed his eyes as he searched his head for a reason why he recognised the man. It was really bothering him.

"Yes, sir, I am. I'm pleased to meet you again, Captain Bridger."

Nathan looked at Mitch closely. Again? Had they met already? Is that why the man seemed so familiar to him? "Kristin tells me that you've been a wonderful friend to Lucas. I'm very grateful to you for that."

Mitch smiled but Nathan saw that the expression never quite reached his eyes. "Lucas is amazing." Mitch seemed to hesitate and looked uncomfortable, but Nathan didn't feel like it was the appropriate time to question the man on it.

"Nathan, where do you suppose Lucas went?" asked Kristin, her face wrought with concern.

"Now, Kris, don't get all bent out of shape. He's probably out by the pier visiting Darwin." Nathan could see Kristin viably relax her shoulders at his words. It made Nathan feel more anxious knowing how uptight Kristin was about everything and anything lately.

"Darwin visits Lucas here?" piped up the little girl.

Nathan couldn't help but smile when he saw the look of awe on the small child's face.

Kristin's shoulders relaxed even more so as she reached her hand out to the little girl.

"He sure does! Darwin and Lucas are best friends. Darwin makes it his business to keep an eye on Lucas whenever he can. Would you like to meet him?"

The little girls' eyes twinkled, and she looked up at her father with expectant eyes.

"Can I daddy?"

Nathan could see a look of uncertainty in Mitch's eyes. He could tell Mitch was uncomfortable, but he wasn't sure why. Mitch looked at his daughter and a look of resignation wafted over him.

"Sure, but you listen to Dr. Westphalen's words, okay?"

The little girl nodded with a solemn look on her face that made Nathan smirk. He felt sure the little cherub of a girl had heard the words before.

"We'll just go see if Lucas is with Darwin," said Kristin. She looked at Nathan. "My car is parked in lot 12 section C. Meet you there?"

Nathan nodded. "Call me if he isn't there. I have my phone." Nathan patted his pocket to assure himself he'd remembered his phone. Sure enough, it was right where he'd placed it.

Kristin looked at Mitch briefly. "You ok, Mitch?"

The younger man nodded, his face looked pale. "Sure." He patted Trinity on the head lovingly, and Kristin and the little girl walked away.

Nathan watched as the child skipped along beside Kristin, happy as a lark, chatting away like Kristin was her best friend. He glanced at Mitch who was standing uncomfortably beside him.

"You don't happen to know where Kristin's car is parked, do you?"

Mitch looked at him for a few moments and then a warm smile graced his face.

"I think I can help you with that."

Mitch picked up the stuffed dolphin Trinity had dropped to the floor in her excitement to see the real thing, and began to walk towards the elevator. Nathan adjusted his duffel bag and followed him.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoO_

Nathan walked quietly beside Mitch as they made their way out of the hospital. The man was projecting immense discomfort. Nathan felt on edge himself as he fingered pieces of lint inside the pocket of his pants as they walked. Not one to find himself feeling awkward around another person, Nathan finally found his tongue, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Lucas has really taken a shining to you, Mitch. He's been telling me about your work at Berkeley. He's very impressed."

A warm smile crossed Mitch's face "He's a remarkable kid, Captain."

"I can't argue with that."

Nathan continued to walk and once again the silence engulfed him. It was beginning to feel stifling and the man beside him seemed to project anxiety paramount to unbearable agony in Nathan's mind. Finally, Nathan stopped walking as they stood in an empty corridor by the exit.

"Forgive me for this, but I feel like we've met before and I don't know why. Am I wrong?" Nathan looked at Mitch for some sort of reaction to his words. He saw the younger man fidget uncomfortably and Nathan even thought he saw fear in the man's eyes. The look was disconcerting to Nathan. If Nathan hadn't known better, he might have believed that Mitch was afraid of him.

Mitch shuffled his feet before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. Nathan cast a curious eye at Mitch as he pulled out a photo and handed it to him. Nathan looked at the picture and felt his heart plummet to his feet. He sucked in a sharp breath, and a painful moan escaped his lips. Robert was smiling back at him. It didn't matter how often he saw a picture of his son, his heart still ached with loneliness and regret.

Nathan's eyes met Mitch's. "You knew my son?"

"Yes. We served on the Pegasus together. It wasn't my first choice for a career. I was a rebellious kid so my father enlisted me. After the wars…" Mitch hesitated with a pained look on his face and dropped his eyes to the floor. "After the attack and a year of intense counseling, I achieved my degree in oceanography. It's always been my first love. I felt like I could do more to help my fellow man with a degree in science, rather than holding a gun and stealing people's lives." Mitch continued looking at the floor, but Nathan could see the emotion on the younger man's face. Nathan understood the words more than Mitch might have realised. Nathan also wanted to be a peacekeeper and use SeaQuest to study the ocean to make the world a better and safer place. He never intended it to be a military vessel and was saddened when it was used during the Livingston trench Showdown in the North Atlantic in 2017.

"I was told only three men survived," commented Nathan, feeling an overwhelming sense of sorrow wash over him.

"That's correct, sir. I'm truly sorry."

Nathan pinched his nose hard at Mitch's words. It felt like Mitch was apologising to him for surviving. That very fact caused Nathan to shudder. He looked at Mitch with compassion, studying his downcast demeanor and his heart went out to the man.

"Sorry for what? You don't ever need to be sorry for surviving, Mitch."

Mitch swallowed and looked up. "I'm sorry Bobby's life was stolen over such a senseless war. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save him. He was a good man, sir. He spoke fondly of you and his mother. He wanted to make you proud. He wanted to be like you. He said that he would never be the man you are even if he lived to be 100 years old."

Nathan felt tears burn in his eyes and he had to look away. The intense, agonizing look Mitch had in his eyes burrowed a hole into his soul. There hadn't been a day when Nathan didn't blame himself for Robert's death. He hadn't advocated Robert to join, in fact, he'd expressly forbidden it, but Bobby wanted to be like Nathan. He wanted to change the world so he enlisted behind Nathan's back. The two of them had fought like dog and cat over the decision. Afterwards, when Robert's fleet had been called into the middle of the conflict, Nathan had been bitterly angry. He'd refused to see Robert off. He never knew it would be the last time he'd see his boy alive again. Had he known, he wouldn't have allowed himself to be so damned foolish and pig-headed.

Nathan cleared his throat. "Thank you for that, Mitch."

"You're welcome, sir. Bobby loved you."

Nathan felt a lump in his throat so intense that it hurt to swallow. He rarely gave himself permission to travel down that road of remembrance. It didn't hurt like it used too but that was because of Lucas. Lucas had helped to fill the empty hole in his heart. Lucas wasn't Robert, and Nathan knew that, and it wasn't like Lucas was a replacement for Robert. It wasn't anything like that. It was more like Lucas helped to make life worth living again. Both Kristin and Lucas gave him a reason to look forward to the future. They made life worth living again. They gave him a reason to smile and laugh.

"Mitch, from what I was told, it was miracle anyone survived on that ship. The boat went down by the stern and was sucked down instantaneously; it's a wonder you lived to tell the tale."

Tears flooded Mitch's eyes. "I was assigned to the lower levels of the ship. I'm ashamed to admit that I was seasick. If I had admitted that, I might have been sent to the decks to look at the horizon, but I kept quiet. I didn't want to be on the ship to begin with…I was young, Captain Bridger, and I was homesick." This time, a tear did escape and Mitch quickly brushed it away, his face flushed. "I had no idea that we were under attack until Bobby forced me into an empty barrel…"

Nathan raised his hand. "You don't have to explain, Mitch." The words hardly left his lips before Mitch put a hand on his forearm to silence him.

"Please, sir, I need to explain." Nathan nodded and remained silent. "I heard them screaming when the ship was hit. I felt the impact and it was brutal. I could hear shouts, but I couldn't do anything to help. Either someone pitched the barrel I was in into the water, or it was knocked into the water because the next thing I knew I was rescued by some fishermen. I don't even know how long I was floating until they found me. They thought I was debris left over from the wreckage."

Nathan felt his pulse quicken as he digested the information. Nathan could only imagine how terrified Mitch must have been. Nathan looked down at the photograph still in his hand. Robert was standing beside a much younger version of Mitch and was smiling his big goofy grin.

"You don't look much older than Lucas in this picture."

"I was 17."

Nathan gasped involuntarily. He'd known about the enlistment of teens during the early wars of the 21st century, but he'd tried to block it from his mind. Reminders like this only served to stir up his wrath once again.

"Bobby was my friend, sir." Mitch swallowed. "He saved my life by forcing me into that barrel. I wish I could tell you what happened to him, but I couldn't see anything."

Nathan continued staring at the picture. Robert's eyes were shining, so full of life and hope. He hadn't seen the picture before, and he didn't recognise the surroundings.

"You were a kid, Mitch. You shouldn't have even been in that war. I'm proud that Robert recognised that and took it into his own hands to protect you."

"He was like a big brother to me, always telling me what to do." Mitch laughed, his eyes seeming distant as he stared at the picture as well. "I hated that he told me what to do all the time like I was some dumb kid. Other officers just treated me like I was in the way…like some bothersome pest, but Bobby always came to my defense. He used to joke that the only person allowed to pick on me was him."

Nathan smirked. It sounded like something Robert would say. He was a loyal man with a big heart for kids despite the fact that he was no more a kid himself. Nathan reluctantly handed the photo back to Mitch who accepted it, returning it to his wallet.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were weeks ago? Why all the secrecy?" asked Nathan.

"I was sent to the summit to give a report on the Cyan toxins found near the outlining regions. We have been studying the toxins, particularly Microcystin and the toxoplasma. The worldwide occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms due to water eutrophication evokes extreme concerns. These blooms produce Cyan toxins which are hazardous to live organisms." Mitch paused and then smirked. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble on about it."

Nathan leaned against the wall with a warm smile. It was easy to see how passionate Mitch was about his work. Nathan was beginning to see why everyone had spoken so fondly of the young scientist. He seemed like a very genuine person.

"Don't apologise. SeaQuest's main priority is research and deep sea exploration. We help keep the peace but our main focus is making the oceans a safer environment."

"I met Lucas and he told me you were at the conference. I confess I almost left when I found out."

Nathan frowned. "Why? Am I that scary?"

Mitch shook his head solemnly. "It's not that, sir. I went to Robert's funeral, and you asked me to never talk to you again. I thought I should honour that."

Nathan's jaw dropped. He had no memory of it. He had to admit, Robert's funeral had been but a blip in his memory. He had been so caught off guard by losing his son in the wars. He'd been left with a bad taste in his mouth, and Carol had been devastated. She was so distraught that he swore to her that he would quit the navy and never return. Nathan had always felt responsible for Robert's death. If he hadn't made it his life career then maybe his son might have chosen another career path. He had fought hard to keep Bobby out when the government had originally evoked mandatory enlistment of all adolescents aged 16 and up. Thankfully he was able to keep the boy out until he turned 18 and then he enlisted himself much to Nathan's chagrin. The world quickly became a place he didn't want to be a part of anymore. That was part of the reason why Carol and he moved to the Yucatan, to move off the grid and separate themselves from the mess the world was in.

Nathan scrubbed a hand across his face, feeling fatigue wash over him. "I'm sorry, Mitch. I don't remember that time in my life, but I do know I became a bitter, hostile man. Bobby's death pulled the carpet out from beneath me, and I'm ashamed to admit that instead of dealing with my grief head on, I hid from it. Whatever I said to you at the time was likely a product of that bitterness. Please accept my apologies." Nathan held out his hand to shake Mitch's and a bright smile swept across Mitch's face.

"Lucas was right about you. You're an extraordinary man."

Nathan laughed at the compliment and glanced at his watch. "I don't know about extraordinary but thanks for the kudos." He felt relief for having discovered Mitch's concern. Immediately he felt a rush of tranquility wash over them as they stood in the hallway. "We can continue this conversation, but we should head to meet with Kristin. She's going to wonder what happened to us."

Nathan started walking once again, and Mitch quickly fell into step. Within minutes they were outside the hospital and completely covered in stunning sunshine. Nathan and Mitch continued making pleasant conversation as they walked towards the parking lot.

"Kristin parked in Lot 12," began Mitch pointing towards the lot.

The words barely rolled off Mitch's lips when a shrill shriek was heard in the distance. The scream sent shivers down Nathan's spine as both Mitch and he turned towards the sound.

The colour drained from Mitch's face. "Trinity!" he said as he took off at high speed towards the wharf.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoO_

Lucas stared out over the blue water, enjoying the tranquility. He was soaking up all the sunshine he could while he still had the chance. As much as he was looking forward to going back to SeaQuest and getting lost in his work, he was enjoying basking in the sunshine and soaking in the ocean view. Part of him speculated that once they arrived back to SeaQuest, Captain Bridger would be forcing him to discuss details of what happened in the Summit room, and he wasn't looking forward to that conversation. More than anything he wanted to forget everything. If only his dreams would let him, but they never did. He was anxious to see Ben, and maybe get lost in some get-rich-quick scheme or into some kind of mischief like before, anything to get life back to some semblance of normal. Darwin bumped his nose against Lucas' ankles, and Lucas stroked his smooth melon head with his foot.

"I miss talking to you too, buddy." Lucas sighed wishing he had a vocoder with him, but he knew the longing was ridiculous since the translator wouldn't work outside. Lucas could tell Darwin felt lost not being able to communicate with him as well.

"Sometimes I wish I could have the freedom you do, Darwin. Just to go anywhere and do anything you like and not be confined. Captain Bridger would let you go free if you asked him." Darwin blew water high in the air, misting Lucas' face. Lucas chuckled as he wiped off his face. "Okay already, I get it; you don't wanna leave." Lucas shook his head. Darwin always seemed to understand what Lucas was saying even without the translator.

"Oh Darwin, I feel like I've so royally screwed things up that life will never be the same. I'm so tired of the dreams and the deep-seated feelings of desperation." Lucas lay back on the dock, slinging his arm across his eyes to block the brilliance of the sun. He couldn't stop thinking and replaying events over and over in his head. He couldn't stop blaming himself for Captain Bridger being shot. So many things happened in the Summit room that could have been prevented had he just stayed out of it. Even if his intentions had been good, he'd only made things ten times worse. Lucas blinked back the tears that burned in his eyes. There was no heartbeat in depression, and Lucas could no longer hear his. Nothing seemed solid or safe anymore in the perpetually moving world. Lucas could hear the ocean heave and sigh below him. He could see the clouds scuttling and whirling above him. Life continued to move forward, yet Lucas felt left behind. He sat up, looking out across the horizon to see some shapes resembling rocks in the distance. He speculated they were floating icebergs, but everything seemed so grey and dismal to him, even in the sunlight. He felt like there was nowhere to go from where he stood. He felt no joy, just miserable gloom. It felt paralysing to him.

Vibrations on the dock caught his attention, and he licked his lips and groaned when he saw Kristin coming towards him with a little girl.

"Lucas Wolenczak!" Kristin's voice held a scolding tone to it causing Lucas to roll his eyes. "I was worried about you."

"Sorry, Doc, I just thought I'd visit with Darwin while you and the captain were getting ready to leave. Are we all signed out and good to go?"

Kristin nodded, reaching down to touch Lucas' hair. Lucas pulled away involuntarily. He didn't feel like being mothered and hoped Kristin would understand. Lucas' eyes turned to the little girl who was peering over the edge of the dock staring at Darwin. Her eyes were wide with wonderment. Lucas looked to Kristin who smiled lightly at him.

"Lucas, this is Mitch's daughter, Trinity, and she wanted to meet Darwin."

Lucas worked hard to keep the surprise from his face. Mitch had a kid? He'd never mentioned that to Lucas. Lucas looked back at the child and smiled at the exuberance in her eyes. The little girl was on her knees within minutes and leaning over the edge, trying to touch Darwin, seemingly having no fear. Lucas reached out and instinctively grabbed her waist as Kristin gasped behind him.

"Careful Trinity, not so close or you'll be going for a swim with Darwin," cautioned Lucas.

Lucas held tightly to the small child as he again noticed the icebergs in the distance. It always struck him as geographically erroneous to see such a sight in the southern Atlantic, but his knowledge of climate change and the melting of the polar ice caps reminded him that the world wasn't like it should or used to be. At the beginning of the 21st century, mankind had exhausted its earthly resources and all but depleted the ozone layer causing dramatic changes in the environment all across the world, including the oceans. The world's oceans were now being dramatically affected by the mining, harvesting, and homesteading colonies were cropping up all over the oceans, only adding to the complexity of the situation. Plainly put, things were out of whack.

Trinity stared at Lucas with a pleading look. "But I wanna swim with him." Her eyes were wide.

Lucas pulled her further back away from the edge. "Well, maybe one day you can, but not today. The water is freezing this time of year." Lucas pointed into the distance as he kneeled to her level. "Do you see those grey shapes way out there?" He saw the little girl nod quietly and look at him. "Those are icebergs. That means the water is very cold right now." He stuck out his hand in greeting with a warm smile on his face. "My name is Lucas."

Trinity grasped Lucas' hand and shook it. "Hi, Lucas. My daddy told me about you. When can we swim with Darwin?"

Kristin stepped forward, grasping the little girls' hand gently. "Lucas is right, sweetie; the water is much too cold to swim in this time of year. Darwin has a built-in wetsuit, but you don't." Kristin tapped the child on her nose making her giggle. Kristin turned to look at Lucas, concern still in her eyes. "As for you, young man, you should have told someone where you were going. I was worried about you. Mitch wanted to spend some time with you this morning before we left for SeaQuest."

Lucas looked down at his feet sullenly, taking a few steps away from her towards the edge of the dock. He heard Kristin come up behind him and place a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. I didn't mean to scold you. I'm just on edge this morning."

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, and he rubbed his head wearily. He felt drained. "Lucas?" prompted Kristin again. Lucas's heart skipped a beat as he heard the care and concern in her voice. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kristin was concerned about him. His heart ached inside. All the emotions were bubbling up inside of him, and it was all he could do to keep them suppressed.

"I'm fine, Kristin," said Lucas, turning to see her shocked expression. He didn't often use her given name. It always felt like he was dishonouring her somehow when he did, and if truth be known, Captain Bridger preferred he addressed the authorities in his life by their proper titles as a sign of respect, but he felt like he needed and wanted to be on the same playing field as her just then. He didn't want to be mothered by her, nor did he want to be mollycoddled. "I'll meet you at the car, okay?"

Not waiting for her response, Lucas turned to leave. Just as he moved to take several steps away, he heard a splash and a scream. Lucas spun on his heel to see Kristin plunging into the frigid water after Trinity. Keeping his wits about him, Lucas quickly pulled off his shirt and dove in after them. Two sets of eyes looking for the little girl could only be helpful. When he breached the surface, he frantically searched for signs of Kristin or Trinity. As far as his eye could see were only white capped waves. Darwin swam to his side, and Lucas clutched his dorsal fin tightly.

"Find Kristin, Darwin!"

Darwin dove down deeply in the water, dragging Lucas below the rolling waves. He anxiously tried to look for the child with his heart beating wildly in his chest. He couldn't see the girl or Kristin. Lucas popped up to the surface again, shouting Kristin's name desperately. The water was pitching him to and fro as the waves white capped around him. It was a windy day causing the breakers to hit the rocks hard and fast. Lucas gasped for air, taking a deep breath once again and plunging deeper into the water. He wasn't going to give up if he could help it. He could see Darwin keeping watch over him. He kept diving deeper, kicking his legs as hard as he could and keeping his eyes peeled for any type of movement in the water. Suddenly something pink caught his eye, and he swiftly swam towards it. He reached out and grasped at the pink material beneath him, feeling relief when he saw the small child's face. Her eyes were open in paralysing fear. Lucas quickly pulled her up to the surface, wrapping a solid arm around her upper body. Once he broke the surface of the water, Trinity began to scream and pitch a fit in his arms. She was choking and spitting out the sea water. Lucas worked hard to keep them both afloat. He looked up to the dock to see Captain Bridger and Mitch's concerned faces peering down at him. Relief washed over him as he saw Kristin being pulled safely from the perilous waves, shivering and shaking.

"Hang on to her, Lucas!" shouted Nathan. It was difficult to make out any other words being spoken because of Trinity's shrieks and the wind and water pitching around him.

"It's okay, honey; I've got you. You're safe," said Lucas into her ear as he breathed heavily from exertion. Darwin hovered close as Lucas reached out his other hand to clutch his dorsal fin. Lucas felt exhausted and Trinity's struggling was wearing him down fast.

"Darwin, bring them closer!" shouted a voice.

Lucas was feeling lightheaded as Darwin pulled them closer to the dock's edge. It was about a four-foot drop and Lucas wasn't sure if he had the stamina to help lift the girl into someone's arms. It was all he could do to hang onto the flailing girl. She wasn't calming down anytime soon. In fact, seeing her father had only escalated her panic. Her hysterical movements were going to sink him soon. Lucas held tightly to Darwin, floundering in the waves, and he gasped when he saw Mitch dive in beside him. Immediate relief flooded Lucas when Mitch hastily swam up beside him and seized Trinity from his arms.

"Hang on, Lucas, I'll help you!"

Mitch adeptly handed the struggling child to Captain Bridger and turned to grip Lucas in his strong arm. Lucas leaned against him feeling like a lead weight. The water was freezing and exhaustion was overpowering him.

"C'mon, Lucas, stay with me, buddy. Help me get you out of this cold water."

Mitch's voice sounded soothing as Lucas did what he could to reach up to Captain Bridger's outstretched arm. He collapsed onto the deck once he was rescued, panting and gasping for breath. He felt completely wiped out, and he shivered in the wind. He felt a warm shirt being wrapped around him as he saw Captain Bridger kneeling beside him.

"You ok, kiddo?" The captain placed a warm hand on Lucas' head.

Lucas nodded, his teeth chattering. He could see Kristin holding Trinity who was shaking and shivering, howling at the top of her lungs. Her tiny lips were blue and quivering. Kristin had wrapped her light sweater around her. Lucas blinked a few times, trembling from the cold and then smiled when he saw Mitch standing beside Kristin, dripping and shivering. Mitch quickly collected his daughter into his arms and hugged her.

"Shh, Trinny, daddy's got you! You're safe now!"

Lucas could hear the catch in Mitch's voice as he held his daughter and comforted her gently. Slowly her wails turned to soft sobs and then hiccups.

"Let's get the kids checked out at Emerge," commented Nathan.


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's note:**

 **Hey everyone, I'm still plugging away at the story. I feel like there is still maybe a couple of chapters left in order to tie up some loose ends. Resolution takes a lot of time and thought, plus I lost an entire chapter when my computer messed up. I was so sad I could have cried, but the good news is I think this chapter turned out better than before. Lots of little tidbits of mystery added that will help set the tone for my next story. :)**

 **Hope you enjoy and rest assured...I'm still working on the rest. :)**

 **Happy Reading!**

 **Jenny Wrens**

Kristin leaned her head against the wall in the emergency waiting room. Nathan and Mitch had taken Lucas and Trinity to get checked for possible injuries. Kristin knew instinctively that she was unharmed from the incident, but she felt far too distraught and shaken to her core to trust herself to check out the kids. She had insisted that Nathan and Mitch get the kids a thorough examination to be sure they were okay. After the others had left, Kristin allowed the tears to roll down her cheeks. The waiting room wasn't busy and she felt so upset by what had happened that she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She wasn't sure she could ever forgive herself for letting her guard down with Trinity. Kristin had been so busy trying to prevent Lucas from walking away from her, that she'd dropped the little girl's hand. She never meant to take her eyes off the child, but her anxiety and concern for Lucas had overtaken her.

 _How could you be so stupid? The child had very nearly fallen into the water virtually moments before, yet you allowed yourself to let your guard down. How inept can you be? You're a grown woman with umpteen degrees. You're a mother who has a daughter who used to be that age. How could you lose that innate vigilance? Every mother has it built into her. How could you be so foolish?_

When did she become so scatterbrained? It seemed like ever since the hostage taking, she couldn't keep her wits about her. She was constantly on guard and hyper vigilant, worried about everyone and everything, yet she dropped the ball and the little girl nearly drowned. She still wasn't sleeping well even since returning to SeaQuest. Joshua was after her to take something to get some much-needed rest, but she didn't want to drug herself to sleep. Sleep just meant dreams and those seemed to always become nightmares that she just didn't want to deal with it. She was holding herself together with bailing wire and plastic tape. It was she could do to keep her emotions in check. So much ate at her. She'd only scratched the surface with Nathan when she admitted she felt guilty for shooting Dosa. She'd never shot a gun before, let alone killed someone. Sure, Dosa was a lunatic and Nathan did all he could to negotiate peacefully, but something just snapped within her when she saw Lucas being so badly beaten. Dosa wasn't going to stop until he'd killed everyone in the room. The SWAT team was there but no one had done anything. The situation hadn't changed once SWAT came on the scene. Nothing had changed. Tears ran down Kristin's cheeks as she allowed herself to remember.

Kristin lifted her head momentarily, only to bang it against the wall in frustration. She was so angry with herself. She knew that any hope of convincing Mitch to come aboard SeaQuest had been scattered to the wind. She had hoped the man would soften to her invitation and consider her offer. His brilliant skills in oceanography would be an asset to SeaQuest, once she began her detailed analysis of the toxins. But why would he even give it a second thought now? Life on SeaQuest had its dangerous moments. There were times everyone on board was in danger. The vessel was a peacekeeping submarine, but there were times it was called into treacherous scenarios. Every scientist in her department knew it and signed up with that hovering in the back of their minds. Mitch hadn't even agreed to be part of the science contingency yet, and his daughter had already nearly lost her life. Biting her lip, Kristin sat up more in her chair, browsing around the room. She forced herself to admire the stunning seascape photographs gracing the walls. They were calming to her. The artistry was a welcoming distraction from the dripping, nagging guilt that was gripping her heart. She forced herself to stare at the paintings and lose herself in them. She so desperately needed the distraction, a way to mute her mind and numb her aching heart.

"Kristin?"

The soft masculine voice startled her enough to cause a visibly jump. Kristin's eyes jumped away from the paintings, and she grimaced slightly when she saw the subject of her guilt entering the waiting room. She blinked back the tears that still misted her eyes and managed a weak smile.

"How is Trinity?"

"She's fine. The triage nurse said I could wait out here for her. Trin was doing her best to finagle the nurse into both a sticker and a lollipop. She's quite the operator." Mitch's face was still pale as he wiped his hands on his upper thighs. He licked his lips several times while he stared at her. "I'm sorry about what happened. Kristin. That ole saying, curiosity killed the cat was created on account of my daughter. She likely was the one who killed the cat that started the whole proverb."

Kristin smiled. "Well, then you likely heard that satisfaction brought it back."

Mitch managed a weak smile at her reply.

"I'm the one who should be sorry!" This time, Kristin allowed the tears to freely flow down her cheeks as she did her best to maintain her composure. The words didn't feel like they even touched the surface of how much her heart ached. "I just turned away for a second and…"

Mitch held up his hand as he shook his head. "Don't apologise, Kristin. It wasn't your fault. I should have warned you how quick she is when she takes a notion of doing something. I don't blame you one bit."

Kristin felt relief washing over her entire body. Mitch didn't blame her. He didn't hate her. That knowledge felt like she had had a ten-tonne weight lifted from her chest. She exhaled loudly, actually choking back an anxious sob. Mitch cast a concerned eye in her direction. She hadn't meant to allow herself to unravel like that, but the longer she had sat waiting for Mitch to return, the more anxious she had become. Knowing the little girl was safe and that Mitch didn't blame her was like salve on an infected wound.

Mitch reached out his hand and rested it on her shoulder. "I wanted to come out here alone to make sure you were alright. I had a suspicion you were blaming yourself. Please don't. Trinity has a natural curiosity about everything, Kristin. Please don't blame yourself."

Kristin nodded, feeling like her heart was a little lighter.

Mitch leaned his head back against the wall looking weary. He stared up at the ceiling, almost reverently before making eye contact again.

"My parents were right. Who do I think I'm kidding, thinking I can possibly be a good father to her all by myself? I should have left her in SoCal with my mom."

Kristin chewed her lip, thinking carefully about how she wanted to approach the conversation.

"Mitch, if I can be so bold, what happened to your wife?"

Mitch's eyes widened slightly and then he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Rhiannon and I weren't married."

Kristin felt her face flush in embarrassment. She quietly rebuked herself for poking her nose in where it didn't belong. As much as she herself was old fashioned, she recognised that the young people of this day and age were much less traditional.

"I'm terribly sorry, I never-"

"No, no, it's fine. Don't be concerned. Rhiannon and I met while I was at Oxford. When I first came back from the wars, I was embittered and wanted to get as far as I could from the United States so I did my undergraduate degree in Britain."

Kristin's ears perked up at the information. Trinity's mother was British? Kristin's wheels started turning with curiosity. Suddenly millions of questions entered her head. She had to force herself to remain nonchalant so she wouldn't overwhelm the man.

"Trinity was a beautiful and wonderful gift from our relationship, but Rhiannon and I both agreed, I was not good father material."

"I certainly don't agree with that at all. You've been wonderful with Lucas."

"Befriending a frightened teenage boy in a crisis is a far cry different from being a full-time parent. Rhiannon pretty much hit the nail on the head when she said I was too immature and selfish to be a parent." Mitch closed his eyes for a moment as if lost in the past, and then opened them again. "Things were pretty murky in my head back then. I shouldn't have allowed myself to get into an intimate relationship. It wasn't fair to Rhiannon and to be honest, when she told me she was expecting, I almost took off. I was beyond scared."

Kristin frowned. "Yes, but you didn't take off, did you? Your feelings weren't that unusual. I was much older when I had my daughter, and I was terrified." Kristin offered Mitch a warm a smile. "I think you're selling yourself short, Mitch. And for the record, you've been much more than just a friend to Lucas. You've been a confidante as well as a firm, reliable male role model. Lucas has really needed that while Nathan has been recovering and the other crew members otherwise occupied. I know I have appreciated it immensely."

Mitch smiled as his cheeks reddened from the compliment. "Thanks, but I'm sure you're only being kind." Mitch leaned forward in his chair, twisting the class ring on his finger. "At any rate, when Rhiannon became sick, Trinity went to live with my parents. Rhiannon had no family who could take Trinity. Her entire illness lasted roughly 10 months and then she was gone. I loved Rhiannon, but I wasn't in love with her if you know what I mean."

Kristin nodded in understanding. She could sympathise with his sentiments as she often felt that way about her ex-husband.

"My parents offered to adopt Trin, so I could just continue my career and be Uncle Mitch, the fun guy. Times like this make me think I made the wrong decision by declining to allow them."

Kristin's heart went out to the man sitting beside her. He looked so forlorn and burdened sitting there. Kristin could understand him on many levels. She had been a single parent to her own daughter, Cynthia. It hadn't been easy on the best of days.

"Rhiannon-" Kristin worked the name around in her head. It was a very traditional Welsh name that she had heard a lot of in her childhood. It wasn't a very common name in America. "What was her last name?"

"Evans, but it was her mother's name. Her father was killed before she was born. I think his name was James something or other, but Rhiannon knew very little about him. Her mother passed away in a car accident when Rhiannon was a teenager. She ended up in foster homes until she was 18. She was a brilliant woman."

Kristin felt a shiver go down her spine. She didn't know why but the story felt familiar to her, like she should have known more about it. Kristin licked her lips, silently reprimanding herself for being ridiculous. Wales was another lifetime for her, and Rhiannon Evans was as common a name in Wales as John Smith was in America.

Just as Kristin opened her mouth to say something, Trinity and the triage nurse came into the waiting room together. Mitch rose to his feet to greet them. Trinity was still wearing a pediatric gown and her hair still appeared damp from her unexpected swim.

"Daddy, she said I could have a little mermaid picker and a green lollipop because I'm her besp patient."

The nurse laughed. "She has a clean bill of health, Mr. Brady." The nurse poked Trinity's little nose. "As for you, Arielle, remember this, mermaids only swim in warm currents, got it?"

The little girl giggled. "Ok, I'll remember."

"Good girl."

The nurse smiled again and disappeared behind the triage desk once again.

Trinity held the candy tightly in her little fist as she looked at her father. Kristin could see the love Mitch had for his little girl. Mitch gave her a tight hug and then set her on her feet, stooping to her level and looking at her earnestly.

"You and I need to have a serious talk, don't we?"

Kristin could see the child's eyes widen in apprehension as she slowly nodded, not taking her eyes away from her father's. Mitch took the candy from her hand gently and looked sternly at her.

"You disobeyed Dr. Westphalen, didn't you?"

Trinity looked at Kristin briefly and then back at her father, giving a short, curt nod.

"Trinity, you could have drowned." Mitch's voice was firm. "What would I have done without my sweet baby girl?"

"Daddy," Trinity rolled her eyes. "I'm not a baby-"

Mitch put a finger to her lips. "None of that back chat, thanks." The child opened her mouth and then wisely closed it again. Kristin could see a look of discomfort cross the child's features. Her daddy was her judge and jury and she knew it.

"Now then, what shall I do with you to help you remember to obey?"

Kristin saw the little girl's face grow pale. She eyed the lollipop in her father's hand with dismay. Her little shoulders drooped and several tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I can't have my lollipop, can I?"

Mitch raised a brow, and he looked at the green candy in his hand. Kristin thought that maybe he hadn't thought of not giving the candy back. She bit back a smirk as she overheard the exchange. Mitch might have felt like he wasn't very good at parenting but from Kristin's perspective, he was brilliant.

"What do you suppose King Triton would have done with his Arielle?" said Mitch, offering the candy back to the child.

Trinity took the candy and looked at it longingly, all the while shrugging her shoulders. Tears still travelled down her cheeks as she looked at her father. Mitch shifted his position but remained kneeling in front of the little girl. The child twisted the candy in her hand, apparently debating with herself how King Triton would handle Arielle. Kristin was torn between bursting into laughter and being heartbroken as she took in the scene. Disciplining children was hard at any age but even more so, when they were so young and innocent. Kristin's jaw dropped when Trinity started to walk over to her. The child's lip was trembling and she looked remorseful and contrite.

"Krispin?"

Mitch cleared his throat as he rose to his full height.

Trinity looked at her father briefly before addressing Kristin again. "I mean, Dr. Wesp. I'd like you to have my lollipop. I'm sorry I didn't listen to your words."

The little girl looked at her with big round eyes that still shimmered with tears. Kristin smiled at her and pulled her into an embrace.

"I forgive you, sweetheart. I'm just so glad you're okay."

Kristin held the child for several moments and the little girl melted into her embrace. Kristin inhaled the essence of the child as her heart flashed back to the time her daughter was still small. It felt like an entire lifetime ago, and she often missed that time in her life. When she pulled the child back to look at her, the lollipop was being held out towards her, still held tightly by Trinity's chubby little fist.

"Are you as glad as Pollyanna?"

Kristin laughed. Trinity was a breath of fresh air in a stale room. Imagination and an exuberance for life radiated from her. Kristin took the lollipop from Trinity and kissed her soft little cheek.

"Thank you very much. Do you suppose I can give this lollipop to Lucas when he comes out?"

Trinity frowned, her eyes wide in wonderment. "I guess so." Her bottom lip trembled. "They won't give one to Lucas?"

Kristin laughed. "Lucas probably will forget to ask." Kristin leaned in closer like she was telling a very important secret. "Boys are like that sometimes."

Trinity nodded with a small giggle like she was part of some big, essential plan of great importance. "Yes, then Lucas should have it."

Kristin hugged the child again and saw Mitch mouth, "Thank-you."

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoO_

Nathan waited outside the room while the on-call physician checked Lucas for any injuries he might have sustained during his time in the frigid waters. The teenager had fought him tooth and nail, asserting he was fine. Nathan believed him, but for Kristin's piece of mind, he insisted the boy comply. Lucas had obeyed begrudgingly, giving Nathan several dirty looks despite asking him to do it as a personal favourite to him for Kristin's sake. Nathan sighed at the memory. He was at his wits end with the kid. Lucas had become quite a handful, seemingly shutting down one everyone who even remotely tried to get through his tough facade. Nathan couldn't even have a sensible conversation with the kid without him blowing up and stalking off. They hadn't even left the hospital yet, and things were already more tense than they had ever been between them. Nathan suspected it was because on some unconscious level, Lucas blamed him for what happened. He had hoped that by sharing some of his feelings and apologising that maybe it would open up the lines of communication, but Lucas had just further shut him out.

The door to the little examination room opened just then and the physician stepped out with a reassuring smile inviting Nathan into the room. Lucas was still sitting on the examination table in the tiny room. He was pulling his damp shirt on over his head. Nathan smirked when the boy's head popped through the hole, his hair still damp and disheveled. Lucas offered him a lopsided smirk in return and tossed his head to get his hair out of his eyes. There was still quite a bit of boy left in the teenager and Nathan's heart always smiled when he saw it.

"I'm happy to report that Lucas is in perfect health, Captain Bridger. He's also a hero, I'm told," replied the small, oriental man with wide rimmed glasses.

Nathan smiled. "That he is."

"How is Trinity, sir?" asked Lucas, stepping down off the bed and straightening his shirt.

"I haven't seen her yet, but I'm sure she's fine thanks to your quick thinking."

Lucas shrugged his shoulders as colour touched his cheeks. Nathan knew that Lucas didn't like to be called out on anything, good or bad. Nathan didn't care at this point; he was proud of the boy and wanted to make it known.

"Try to get some rest, young man. You've been through a lot the last month or so," said the doctor, jotting down some notes on a file in his hand. "I'd like to see Lucas in six weeks, Captain, for some blood tests, and according to this, it looks like he is behind in some of his immunisations so we can remedy that when you bring him back in. Sound good?"

Nathan nodded and reached out to shake the doctor's hand. "Thanks, Dr. Au."

The doctor patted Lucas on the shoulder with a smile and left the room without another word. Lucas grabbed his wet over shirt from the back of the chair and ran his hand through his still damp hair. He dropped his hand suddenly to his side when he realised Nathan was staring at him.

"What?"

"Have a seat, Lucas. We need to talk and this is as good a place as any."

Nathan strode across the room and closed the door softly.

Lucas groaned. "Captain, they're gonna need this room for another patient-"  
Nathan turned and leaned on the examination table, crossing his arms. "This hospital has over 20 rooms for emergency services, Lucas. I assure you, this one won't be missed for the time we need it for."

Nathan watched the boy fidget on his feet and then reluctantly sit in the chair by the window. He immediately slouched down in the chair and averted his eyes. Nathan knew the body language well. Lucas was preparing himself for a lecture.

Nathan sighed and dropped his arms, pulling himself to sit on the table. He still felt a bit weak and he had to admit all the excitement had left him feeling even wearier.

"Now, c'mon, don't put your backup like that until you hear what I have to say," said Nathan, hoping the kid would at least look at him. Lucas made no movement to comply.

"I'm proud of you, Lucas. You saved that little girl's life-"

Lucas shrugged and slouched further down until his head rested on the backrest of the chair. "It's nothing any decent person wouldn't do." His words were mumbled so softly that Nathan had to force himself to listen closely or he might have missed it completely.

"Lucas, what's going on in that head of yours? You've closed yourself off to me. What gives? Are you angry with me? Do you blame me for what happened in the Summit room because I didn't stop Dosa from beating you? I understand if you do," began Nathan, a catch in his voice. He heard Lucas groan and cover his face with his hands.

"This isn't fair!" Lucas shouted with barefaced anger in his voice.

"What isn't?"

Lucas held his hand out. "This." He swept his hand around the room. "Cornering me in this place where I can't even get away from you. Do you want me to lose it on you?"

"Lucas." Nathan's voice held frustration in it.

Lucas sat up, glaring at him. "No, listen to me. I'm this close from losing it, Captain." Lucas held up his thumb and forefinger showing about an inch between them. "And if I lose it, you'll be mad at me for doing it."

Nathan folded his hands together. "No, Lucas, I won't. If you feel the need to go postal, go ahead, but we aren't leaving here until you tell me what the hell is going on in your head."

Lucas rose to his feet making a beeline for the door. Nathan jumped from the table and grabbed him by the arm firmly. Lucas tried to pull away but Nathan held him firmly.

"I'm not kidding around," said Lucas, his voice almost a growl.

"And neither am I. Sit." Nathan pointed at the chair. Lucas sucked in his lip and Nathan could tell Lucas was battling with himself, deciding if he was going to obey or push the envelope further.

"Captain."

Nathan raised a brow. "Something about sit you don't understand, Mr. Wolenczak?"

Lucas pulled his arm away roughly and glanced at the door once again. For a few moments, Nathan thought the kid would challenge him and bolt out the door. Nathan had already decided he wouldn't stop him if he did, but for now, he kept up his stern stance, hoping Lucas would relent so they could talk.

Lucas dropped his shoulders and returned to his chair, heaving a weary sigh. Nathan leaned against the door, deciding he would block the exit for now, hoping Lucas would talk to him. If it came down to it, he didn't intend to prevent the boy from leaving if he felt the desire was strong enough.

"Why are you being such a jackass about this?" mumbled Lucas, glaring at him.

Nathan blinked several times at the language with which Lucas chose to address him. It wasn't that he wasn't used to coarse language. He was a military captain after all, but Lucas usually didn't speak to him like that.

"I'm being a _jackass_ , as you so kindly put itbecause I hate there being a rift between us and I want us to work it out," said Nathan, stressing the rude word.

"There's nothing to work out. I just want to go home to SeaQuest and get on with life. Is that too much to ask?"

Nathan crossed his arms once again, inwardly forcing himself to stay calm. He knew that Lucas wasn't acting like himself and the belligerence was because of the trauma. Lucas felt safe with Nathan so the malice and deep-seated hurt were slowly bubbling to the surface. Nathan figured the only way he was going to get to the heart of the matter was to stop beating around the bush and say the things on his heart.

"Kiddo, things aren't going to be the same. You have things you need to deal with and brushing them under the carpet isn't going to work this time. You have this habit of ignoring your feelings until they wind back around and bite you in the butt."

Lucas's eyes flashed as an ugly look crossed his face. "What the hell do you want me to say? That it's all my fault? That if I hadn't broken into the room, I wouldn't have been beaten by Dosa? That I'm stupid? That I deserved everything I got?" Lucas jumped to his feet with tears filling his eyes. He quickly wiped them away as he continued his tirade. "Do you want me to say it's your Gawd-damned fault? That you should have protected me and stopped the lunatic from hitting me? You just stood there watching it. You must have felt like I deserved it. On some level, you probably were thinking 'give him another from me', weren't you?" Lucas' voice rose louder in accusation. Nathan forced his face to remain emotionless. "I disobeyed you by sneaking into the room and made everything ten times worse."

This time Lucas broke into a sob, his shoulders heaving and shuddering. Nathan took a few steps towards him in an attempt to comfort the boy but Lucas held up his hands to ward him off.

"Don't."

Nathan stopped, putting his hands in his pockets instead, his pulse racing in his chest.

After a few moments, Lucas gained his composure once again.

"I know you're angry with me, Captain. I risked everyone's lives by sneaking in. I thought I could help but I was an idiot to think I could."

Lucas' perception of events was sorely twisted and seemed convoluted. It was obvious the teenager was blaming himself for much of the events that happened to him, while at the same time blaming Nathan and feeling guilty for that.

Nathan cleared his throat. "I guess Trinity deserved to drown too."

Lucas' head flew up in shock. "Huh?" Tears tumbled down his cheeks, as he briskly whisked them away.

"Trinity deserved to drown."

"Captain, that's ridiculous. She had no-"

"Was she warned about the dangers of getting too close?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"No buts, she knew better. She disobeyed."

Lucas' mouth was open incredulously. "Captain, she's just a little kid. She didn't know it would be so dangerous. She just wanted to pet Darwin."

Nathan's gruff exterior softened as he nodded in agreement. "Exactly. She's just a kid. She couldn't have known the dangers. Just like you, Lucas. Whether you like to admit it or not, YOU are just a kid and you don't always stop and think of the consequences of your actions either, do you? Yes, you shouldn't have disobeyed me and sneaked into that room, but your intentions were admirable. Things were beyond your grasp in that room. They were beyond all of our grasps. We didn't have the upper hand and we all did what we could to survive. I hate like hell that Dosa hurt you. Every time I close my eyes, I see him beating you and believe you me, I wanted to choke the life fire from him with my bare hands, but I couldn't. Kristin finally snapped. She risked her life, Lucas, to do something I wish I could have done. No one wanted to see you hurt. We were all biding our time to rescue you." Nathan felt his throat tighten as he spoke. He stopped and closed his eyes, being careful how he tread in his explanation of things. If he wasn't careful, he'd trip on his own emotions and he couldn't even begin to go there at the moment. He could not—NO—he would not allow himself time to wallow in his own guilt, not now.

Lucas closed his eyes and Nathan couldn't help but notice his body start to convulse. He put his hands over his face and slipped to the floor on his knees, his body being racked with uncontrollable, agonising sobs. Nathan immediately got to his knees and gathered the boy into his arms and held him, whispering soothing words into his damp hair. Nathan knew the boy wouldn't hear the words. He was too lost in his pain and torment. The mournful sobs grew louder as Lucas literally wailed and clutched Nathan's shirt in his fists. Nathan felt like his heart would break in two as he listened to the almost primal pain being released. Lucas was finally facing his demons in the Summit room and Nathan knew he was terrified.

"You're safe now, kiddo. I've got you."

Nathan didn't even realise the tears streaming down his own face as he held the boy he loved so much in his arms. Instinctively, he knew he was the reason Lucas had snuck into the room. In fact, had the roles been reversed, Nathan felt sure he would have done the same thing. Lucas was his son and he was Lucas' father. The two of them needed each other and the thought of being separated by anything, let alone death, was paralysing. Nathan understood completely why Lucas snuck in. He needed to make sure Nathan was okay and see it with his own eyes.

"I-I was praying the w-whole t-time that you'd s-stop 'hiccup' him," muttered Lucas, who was buried in Nathan's shirt.

Nathan's heart ached at the words. "Oh, kiddo, I wanted to so badly. You have no idea. I never felt so helpless in all my life." He felt his knees aching as he shifted the boy's weight. "But you need to hear me well on this, alright? I _never_ wanted Dosa to hurt you, and it never crossed my mind that you deserved what you got. For goodness sakes, Lucas, that lunatic was a power-driven madman. I don't want to speak ill of the dead, but his children are better off without him. If he treated you so callously, I don't even want to imagine the type of abuse his family endured under his hand."

"It f-felt like you were his friend-" stuttered Lucas, attempting to gain some control of his emotions.

Nathan cringed, inherently knowing that was how it looked. "I'm sorry, Lucas."

Lucas leaned away and pulled one knee up to his chest. Wrapping his arm around his leg, he rested his chin on his knee as tears continued to fall down his flushed cheeks.

"Hostage negotiation is a mind game, Lucas. I had to make everyone in that room think I was Dosa's ally. If it wasn't believable to you, how would it look to him?"

Lucas nodded, clearing his throat and trying to find his voice again. "I keep replaying it all in my head, Captain." Lucas paused, overwhelmed by emotion again.

Nathan pulled himself backwards several inches, leaning against the door and stretching out his legs with a groan. He was getting much too old to be sitting on hard linoleum floors.

"Lucas, you have to know how much I love you by now, don't you?"

Lucas nodded, swallowing hard.

"Then kiddo, you've got to cut me a little slack here, alright? I've been trying to do my best to get you to talk about what happened. Eric has been trying to get you to talk, and I hear your new friend, Mitch, has been trying to get you to confide in him as well. You can't do this alone. None of us can. I feel like I'm barely holding together, myself, but there is no way I can let myself deal with my own emotions until I know the rest of you are on the road to recovery."

Nathan leaned his head back against the door. He was willing to put it all on the table, holding nothing back. As much as Lucas was still young, he wasn't stupid; in time, he also would be able to tell that Nathan was struggling to keep his own emotions in check. Nathan was going to have his own mental breakdown soon enough.

"None of what happened in that room was your fault, Lucas. You were just an innocent pawn in a very twisted man's game. And, kiddo, I heard every word you said when I was in a coma. Your life is most definitely worth everything to me, and I would risk mine again in a heartbeat to keep you safe. Don't you _ever_ let me hear you say things like that about yourselfagain, do you hear me?" Nathan reached out his foot and kicked at Lucas' knee, making his face look firmer than he ever had before. "This world is a far better place for you being in it, heck, _my life_ is far richer than I could even imagine because of you. YOU, my friend, make a difference. It would kill me if anything happened to you!" Nathan could see Lucas' bottom lip begin to quiver at the words. The boy looked away as he again tried to gain his composure. It was one of those intimate moments between them that the captain would always treasure. Nathan allowed the words and sentiments to linger in the room as they both remained quiet. Nathan couldn't have meant the words more and he wanted them to sink in deep and solid.

"I'm sorry, sir."

Nathan's knees protested as he rose to his feet. He reached out a hand and pulled Lucas to his feet as well, pulling him into a bear hug. He rested his head on the top of the boy's head, chuckling.

"What?" asked Lucas, pulling away from him with a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh, nothing, I was just thinking to myself about how long you're going to be grounded…I figure you ought to be old enough to vote by the time I'm finished with you."

Lucas groaned, but his face displayed a lopsided grin despite Nathan's pronouncement.

"I kinda figured that might happen."

Nathan laughed as he messed up the teen's hair. "Oh, you did, did you?" He reached out and opened the door, ushering Lucas out the door. "C'mon, kiddo, let's go home."


	31. Chapter 31

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Just returned from a vacation to Niagara Falls with the kids...it was fun and exhausting.**_

 _ **This story is close to complete...just a few loose ends to tie up...some emotional scenes to come. I felt like Nathan needed this time with his crew to help them. I hope you all agree.**_

 ** _enjoy!_**

 ** _Love,_**

 ** _Jenny Wrens :)_**

Nathan exited the mag-lev, walking slowly towards the bridge. He'd been back on SeaQuest for several days but hadn't had the fortitude to make it to the bridge. The tension on board the vessel was thick. It felt like the entire ship's crew was avoiding him, each other and most especially the senior staff. The boat had more than 200 souls on board including the science staff yet it felt like he was on a ghost ship. No one seemed like themselves. Nathan didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. SeaQuest had always felt like a family of sorts but ever since the hostage taking, everyone seemed to be barely going through the motions. It didn't feel natural, and Nathan felt like he needed to do something to change the mood. As Nathan entered the bridge, he saw several of the ensigns and other crew rise to attention and one of the chiefs of security announced his presence.

"Captain on the bridge."

"As you were, gentlemen," replied Nathan, silently wishing the man hadn't done that. Sometimes he didn't want his presence announced. People changed when he was on the bridge. He saw some of the men and women stiffen at their posts as they continued their duties. The only two who didn't seem to notice his presence was Jonathan and Ben, who happened to be in the middle of a rather loud difference of opinion.

"Krieg, how many times do I need to tell you-"

"With all due respect, _Commander_ , I did exactly what was asked of me."

Nathan could not miss the confrontational tone of Ben's voice accompanied by a look of contempt. It had been a long time since he'd heard such flagrant disrespect from Ben towards a senior officer.

"No, you didn't. What the hell is your problem anyways? You've been nothing but a belligerent son of-"

"Commander Ford," interrupted Nathan, walking towards his first in command and placing a hand on his shoulder. Nathan had no idea what the men were discussing but to do it in such an unprofessional manner on the bridge in front of so many subordinates rubbed Nathan the wrong way. Jonathan turned at his voice and his face reddened when he saw Nathan standing beside him.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't hear you enter the bridge."

"So I noticed. May I have a word, Commander?"

"Certainly, sir."

Jonathan looked towards Katie briefly. Katie looked alarmed by the altercation.

"You have the bridge, Commander Hitchcock." She nodded silently.

Jonathan headed off the bridge towards the Captain's ready room, followed by Nathan.

"You too, Lieutenant Krieg."

Nathan saw Ben fidget in his spot and then reluctantly follow him off the bridge.

Once they reached the ready room, Nathan ushered the two men inside and shut the door firmly. Technically he was not even in command of SeaQuest, as he was still considered on leave for several weeks. However, he was still the senior commanding officer on the vessel and both men were accountable to him for their behaviour or lack thereof.

"Have a seat, gentlemen."

Both men sat silently looking at him.

"Care to tell me what's going on, Commander? That was not what I would call behaviour worthy of a commander on my bridge."

Jonathan gritted his teeth but dropped his head at the subtle reprimand.

"If I may, sir," began Ben, rubbing a hand across his chin nervously. Nathan continued to look at Jonathan sternly, trying to gauge what the man was thinking. It was obvious, he wasn't himself. Slowly, he turned his attention to Ben, who was looking contrite and more solemn than Nathan had seen him in a long while. Kristin hadn't been joking when she said Ben wasn't himself.

"Commander Ford was well within his rights as my commanding officer to reprimand me, sir." Ben rose to his feet and saluted Jonathan. "I formally apologise, sir, for neglecting my post and will accept whatever consequences you deem appropriate."

Nathan sighed. "Sit down, Ben."

"Sir?"

"Sit!"

Ben sat down with a perplexed look on his face.

"I've been back on this vessel for three days now, and if I didn't know any better, I would think I boarded the wrong boat. SeaQuest used to be a place where we worked together in unity. Sure, we've had our differences, but I thought we were a pretty damned good team." Nathan saw both Ben and Jonathan fidget in their chairs. Jonathan folded his hands and his jaw was clenched. Ben sat silently, his back straight and at attention.

Nathan placed his hands on the table in front of the two men.

"Look, I get it; I know there is no love lost between the two of you, but normally you're able to handle it with more decorum. You're my senior crew, and I expect you to act like it, especially on the bridge."

"I'm sorry, sir," said Jonathan.

Nathan softened. He figured he'd gotten his point across loud and clear. Now he wanted to deal with the root of the problem. He didn't want to wear his captain hat anymore in this room. He wanted both men to see the difference from here on in. Nathan started to pace in the room, thinking about how he wanted to proceed. After several moments of pacing, he stopped. He pulled his arms out if his sleeves and tied the upper part of his uniform around his waist, leaving his upper torso in his white turtleneck. He turned to see both of his officer's jaws dropped in utter bewilderment.

"Now then, I'd like you both to follow suit."

Jonathan opened his mouth to say something but after a few seconds closed it again and complied. Ben shrugged and removed his uniform sleeves as well.

"Thank-you. Now we are three friends having a conversation."

Nathan sat down in front of the men and offered them a smile.

"Well, it's time to acknowledge the elephant in the room, gentlemen."

"Sir?" Jonathan looked confused and Ben remained silent.

"No 'sir', Jonathan. It's Nathan."

Jonathan nodded but didn't say anything in response. He still looked baffled.

"I've been around long enough to know that you aren't berating Ben because of some little insignificant misdemeanor on the bridge, are you?" Jonathan clenched his jaw again and averted his eyes. Nathan bit back a smirk. Sometimes he felt like he was parenting a whole boat load of hormonal adolescents.

"And Ben, you're one hell of an officer. You don't make stupid errors in judgement without just cause. Yes, you can act like a juvenile delinquent and can be quite the character sometimes, but you and I both know that you take your job very seriously and would never do anything to jeopardise your fellow officers." Ben opened his mouth to say something but Nathan held up his hand to forestall him. "And you and Jonathan have long since worked out your differences, haven't you?"

Jonathan dropped his shoulders as he rose to his feet, pacing his own thoughts away. Nathan could feel the tension just dripping from him. Jonathan stopped suddenly and turned on his heel.

"I'm sorry, Ben. I've been really hard on you-" Jonathan's voice broke off. Nathan could see the distress on his face. Jonathan was struggling to share something personal, but he was having a difficult time of it. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Nathan nodded towards Jonathan who opened the door. Tim was standing in the doorway, fixing his glasses.

"Tim, you should join us as well," stated Nathan, rising to his feet and waving the younger man inside. A look of confusion swept over Tim's face as he walked into the room.

"Did you come for a specific reason, Lieutenant?"

Nathan felt he'd better ask first before continuing. Tim pushed his glasses up on his nose nervously as he peered around the room in wonderment. It was obvious that he was confused as to why all three men in the room were wearing their uniforms strangely.

"We have set a course for Devil's Hole in the North Sea as you instructed, sir. I was trying to reach you on your personal communicator to ask you for specific coordinates. Ortiz has-"

"You won't need those coordinates for a while, Tim. It's going to take several weeks to get even close enough to worry about that. Meanwhile, the senior crew of SeaQuest is going to use this time to talk."

Tim swallowed. "Talk, sir?"

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. He'd made a decision. He turned to Jonathan as he glanced at the clock on the wall.

"I would like you to gather all the crew members present at the Summit Conference in the Wardroom at 15:00hours, Jonathan. This ship has no need of a full senior crew on the bridge right now. It's time we all sat down and had a little chat."

Jonathan nodded. "Do you wish to include Lucas, sir?"

Nathan shook his head. "At this point, no; let's leave Lucas out of it for now, Commander."

With those words, Nathan exited the room, heading towards Seadeck. He was feeling like he needed to clear his head a little. Maybe a relaxing swim with Darwin might just be the medicine he craved.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoO_

At 15:00 hours, Nathan entered the Wardroom. He had to look twice at the name on the door to be sure he'd entered the right room. The place was as silent as a tomb when Nathan arrived. He glanced around the room to find everyone he'd asked for in attendance, but the mood in the room was somber and stifling. Nathan walked in, closing the hatch door behind him. He couldn't even remember a time when he'd called a meeting and everyone had been so quiet. While the atmosphere wasn't always pleasant, it was at least alive with some kind of conversation, but today it was just completely silent. The tension and edginess of his crew caused him to feel unsettled. Nathan was working on his own last sane emotion. After this, he planned to lock himself in his quarters and allow himself permission to lose his mind. It was going to take close to three weeks to get to their destination and he figured by then, he might have found it again.

Nathan stood at the head of the table looking at each of his crew. None of them made eye contact with him. Each one seemed to prefer staring at the table, their hands or the floor, anything but him. Jonathan was sitting at attention, looking professional as usual. His first in command very rarely let his guard down with anyone, but Nathan knew he was struggling to keep himself together.

Beside Jonathan sat Miquel. Miguel was fidgeting with a pen, tapping it on the table nervously. His dark eyes looked somber and deeply wounded. Nathan didn't remember seeing him looking so morose. His usual bright-eyed smile was a distant thing of the past, not even a shadow of it was apparent in his facial expressions. The horror inside the Summit room had made its mark on the young Cuban man's heart.

Beside Miguel was Tim. Tim's face of devoid of any emotion which struck Nathan as odd; usually he could read Tim like a book. The man pretty much wore his emotions on his sleeve. You always knew where you stood with Tim. Tim offered him a small, awkward smile when he noticed Nathan was looking at him.

Across the table from those three, sat Katie, Kristin, and Ben. Katie sat in the middle between Ben and Kristin. Her crystal eyes seemed clouded somehow to Nathan, blocking her emotions. Nathan had chatted with Colonel Hitchcock recently and knew that Katie and Ben were very nearly reconciled. He had even heard rumors of them remarrying. The two of them had become very close since Ben's near brush with death in the conference room. Nathan suspected they might even have risked holding hands under the table. Their professional propriety had deteriorated circumspectly, and Nathan surmised that pretense wasn't worth the effort any longer. Obviously, neither one of them wanted to lose their position on SeaQuest, but if Nathan had any say in the matter, neither one would.

Ben sat stoically, staring straight ahead, not even making eye contact with him. Ben was fully healed physically, but that fun-loving spunk had been extinguished. It wasn't that Nathan didn't appreciate his professionalism; he did very much, but the wisecracker part of Ben that everyone found endearing had disappeared. Ben hadn't even been spending much time with Lucas which doubly concerned Nathan. Usually, if anyone could draw Lucas out of his shell, it was Ben. Come to think of it, Nathan hadn't even seen the two of them together at all since Lucas returned to SeaQuest. Nathan knew Lucas was staying in his room a lot, but usually, that didn't stop Ben from trying to drag the teenager into some kind of mischief. Frankly, Nathan kind of missed the juvenile antics. Kind of. It was just part of the life of SeaQuest.

Nathan's eyes rested on Kristin. She greeted him with a warm smile. Her face was one of pure refreshment to him. The two of them had allowed themselves time to be together as often as possible since his return. She was a breath of fresh air, and Kristin seemed to be dealing with her emotions much better since they last chatted. Nathan had encouraged her on many occasions to reflect on her feelings in the conference room. He'd encouraged her to talk with Joshua about some of her deep-seated feelings. He was glad to see some of her sparkle returning. He felt more confident knowing that she understood and accepted that nothing that occurred in that room was her fault and that her reaction to killing Dosa, while an emotionally driven gut response, had been a good decision. In Nathan's mind, she was a hero. She ended the horrific hostage situation and no one could fault her for it. He'd even spoken with Sam Sheppard, who'd informed Nathan that he'd recommended Kristin for a medal of commendation. Despite being overrun by her emotions, her quick wits, and superb marksmanship had ended things. She'd reacted under horrible, emotional duress and managed to singlehandedly take out the terrorist, ending things once and for all. Nathan was proud of her. Heck, he was proud of all his crew.

Nathan stood at the head of the table, peering at each of his crew with pride on his face. If they couldn't see his pleased expression through their trauma, he planned to change that.

"I know you are all wondering why I called you here this afternoon," began Nathan softly. He noticed everyone's eyes were looking at him with curious expressions. "I've been onboard this vessel for several days and the atmosphere is painful, to put it mildly. As I mentioned earlier to Ben and Jonathan, it's time we acknowledge the elephant in the room."

Nathan noticed Kristin's eyes open wide in concern. He felt certain she was questioning if it was appropriate to deal with things in such an open way, but Nathan nodded at her, and she relaxed her shoulders in response.

"I do want to say this. I've been a captain for a very long time and I've been in command of many different crews in my time but never have I ever been more proud of a crew than I am of you six. I am honoured to work alongside you all, and I'm honoured to call you my friends." Nathan looked for some kind of emotional responses from his crew faces, but most of them kept their expressions blank, except Katie whose eyes teared. Nathan knew he was breaking through her defenses as her emotions were hovering on the surface. It wouldn't take much for her to break down. By the end of the meeting, Nathan hoped he would touch more hearts as well.

"No one can deny that as a crew, we have been through some rough times together. We're guardians of the ocean and sometimes, we've been forced to make some really tough decisions for the betterment of mankind. Most of you have risked your lives more than once while on SeaQuest. Yet, somehow we have all managed to come out unscathed and knowing what we signed up for as naval officers, we shake the dust off ourselves and move on. This time, it's different." Nathan paused, examining each crew member's countenance. Varying expressions crossed the faces in front of him. Looks of denial, pride, anger, defiance and genuine dismay filled his line of vision. Each one of his crew seemed to display a different emotion all at the same time.

"None of us were prepared for what happened in that room. None of us could have known or been equipped to handle ourselves any differently than we did. It was horrific no matter how you slice it. People were brutally massacred before our very eyes." Nathan's heart ached when he saw the tears escape Katie's clear eyes. Her emotional barrier had been broken. He knew he needed to address her first before her expression took down his walls as well.

"Katie, it must have been torture for you to be on the outside, feeling helpless to reach out to us. Sheppard told me what an asset you were to him."

Katie blinked back tears and nodded, a small smile touching her lips. There was so much more Nathan wanted to say to her. He was grateful for all she tried to do to protect Lucas and for how she handled herself when Ben was injured. She had acted as a spokesperson for him when he was barricaded in the room. She had represented herself as calm and professional, despite the circumstances. Nathan was proud of her and he made a mental note to himself to speak to her privately at a later date. He could tell she was barely holding herself together in the Wardroom, so he let the rest go unsaid. Her teary glance told him that she was grateful he hadn't continued.

"Ben," continued Nathan seeing the dark haired man's head jerk to attention at the sound of his name. Nathan could tell the man's mind had been on Katie in that moment. "Once I stood up to make myself known to Dosa, you instantly stepped into my shoes to help comfort and protect Kristin and to help keep people calm in the room. I could relax a little knowing I could count on you to keep your cool." Nathan allowed himself to chuckle a little at this point, hoping his levity would lift the spirits of the room. "Of course, I knew your hot head would eventually get you into trouble."

The tension in the room eased up somewhat as several others joined Nathan in his lighthearted laugh at Ben's expense. Nathan sobered again when he added, "It scared the hell out of me when you were shot, Ben. Chivalry doesn't always mean you need to take one for the team." Nathan's voice broke at this point. He could see Ben's brave façade waver somewhat as he dropped his head to the floor.

"I'd do it again, sir," came the soft reply.

Nathan took several steps towards Ben and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you would. You're a good man, Ben."

Nathan cast a glance at Kristin who had tears cascading down her cheeks. He knew Kristin would forever blame herself for Ben being shot, but he hoped somehow by opening the door, both Ben and Kristin might seek one another out and discuss it further. Kristin reached across the table and put her hand on Ben's. The look on Ben's face was enough for Nathan to know that Ben would be chatting with Kristin more once the dust settled a bit.

Tim suddenly rose to his feet, looking distraught.

"Sir, may I be excused?"

Nathan felt troubled by the sudden question, wondering why the young Lieutenant looked so anxious.

"Is there something the matter?"

Tim's panicked look reminded Nathan of Lucas. Tim's face was pasty as he continued to plead with Nathan with his eyes. Nathan bit the inside of his cheek, debating if he should let Tim leave or not. He wanted everyone to hear what was being said and if Tim left, it would defeat the whole purpose of the meeting.

"Tim, step outside the door with me a moment, would you?"

Tim's eyes widened as colour dusted his cheeks. Nathan knew Tim didn't like being called out for any reason, but Nathan felt this was important. Nathan walked to the doorway and opened the door, ushering Tim outside. He turned to look at Jonathan.

"This isn't a formal meeting, Jonathan, but I'd like you to hold the fort for a few moments. I'll return in a few minutes." With that said Nathan closed the door and turned to see Tim staring at him with wide eyes.

"At ease, soldier," said Nathan, with a twinkle in his eyes. Tim was radiating enough panic to make him feel nervous.

Tim's shoulders noticeably drooped and leaned against the wall.

"What's up, Tim? Why the sudden urgency to leave?"

Nathan stuck his hands in his pockets, hoping his gut feeling wasn't leading him astray. Perhaps the man just needed to use the washroom, in which case, he would feel more than a little embarrassed.

Tim fidgeted in his spot, dropping his eye contact.

"Sir, I don't think I can bear to sit there listening to you call out each one of us and commend us for our actions in that room. You have every right to be proud of everyone else, but, sir, all I did was hid under a table and pray until my lips cracked. It didn't do anyone any good. Nothing I did made any difference. So, please, just let me go back to my duties on the bridge."

"Tim, listen to me a moment," said Nathan, reaching out a steady hand and placing it on the younger man's shoulder. He felt the man twitch under his touch. "Kristin told me exactly what kind of man you are. I may not have seen it with my own eyes, but you are seriously underestimating the impact you had on Kristin and many others in that room. Kristin said you became quite ill from the food, yet you did your best to help her ease the discomfort of the others. She told me that you stood up to her when she was going to do something reckless. Trust me; I know from experience that _that_ takes a lot of guts. You stopped her before she risked her own safety. I will be forever grateful to you for that. You stepped up and were the man I know you are in a very tough situation." Nathan's eyes shimmered momentarily before he blinked the emotion away. He didn't want to think about what could have happened had Tim not restrained Kristin as firmly as he did. His lips quivered ever so slightly, undecided if they wanted to moan or allow a laugh to escape at the memory of Kristin's indignation when she shared about Tim's tenacity. Nathan knew Kristin was just as indebted to Tim, but her pride wouldn't allow her to not voice her annoyance at Nathan ordering Tim to keep her safe from herself.

"I'm proud of how you handled yourself, Tim. I believe your quick thinking saved Kristin's life. We both know how determined she can be when she sets her mind to it." This time, Nathan's eyes twinkled and Tim's pained face relaxed, allowing a small smile to pull at the corners of his mouth. Nathan patted the young man on the back, tempted to pull him into an appreciative hug, but he restrained himself. He felt sure that it wouldn't be something Tim would feel at ease with and Nathan didn't want to make the man feel any more uncomfortable.

"Now then, do you still feel the need to go back to your duties or will you return to the room with me?"

Tim licked his lips and nervously pushed his glasses up his nose. "Uh, I-"

"No one will care why you left, Tim," said Nathan, reading the man's mind. In some ways, Tim reminded him of a nervous school boy who was afraid his peers would tease and make fun of him. It wasn't the first time Nathan wondered how Tim made it through basic training still in his right mind. The man was more often than not a nervous wreck.

Tim relaxed his shoulders and nodded. Nathan opened the door and the two of them returned to their places at the table. All eyes were on them but no one said anything. Nathan placed the palms of his hands on the table and scanned the faces peering at him. The unrest in the room still hovered at the surface. Nathan sighed. He'd hoped that by openly discussing matters, his crew would begin got knock down some of their barriers. It didn't appear that he'd broken through much of their resolves at all. Maybe he was fooling himself to think he could.

Nathan looked at Miguel suddenly and realised that despite his apparent failure to break down walls, he would continue until he had praised each one of his crew. It was something he needed to do regardless of whether they wanted to hear it or not. He needed to do it for himself as much as for them.

Nathan walked around the table and put a hand on Miguel's shoulder. He felt the man flinch under his touch much like Tim had. It was obvious how jumpy and on edge everyone still was after the attack. Miguel had gone through so much as well, some he wasn't even aware of and might never remember.

"Miguel, I don't think words will ever be enough to thank you for all you did in that room. Lucas and I have had many chats the last couple weeks and your name came up more times than not. You kept him calm. You helped him think clearly. I can't thank you enough for being the kind of man who can reach out to a frightened boy and help him without damaging his pride."

Miguel looked at Nathan briefly as tears filled his eyes and threatened to fall. The man quickly looked away as he cleared his throat.

"It was-" Miguel's voice broke and he left his words lingering in the room seemingly unable to finish his sentence.

"I feel like I'm hardly touching the tip of the iceberg in all you did under grueling circumstances, Miguel. You're a brave man and it's an honour to have you serve as one of my crew."

Miguel nodded but appeared to be too overwhelmed by his emotions to respond.

"Look, I get it. You're military trained personnel. You're all career officers. You all made conscious choices to join the navy. You feel it's your duty to endure combat and unimaginable peril and to cheerfully keep trucking along your merry ways." Nathan took his attention away from Miguel and began to pace around the room. He was very consciously aware that all eyes in the room were on him. His usually calm and controlled voice of command was breaking down on him. Nathan cleared his throat softly. He reached up and pinched his nose as he felt the pressure breaking through the walls he had worked so hard to build up. He felt himself coming closer and closer to his own mental end. He needed to hold on a little longer. His crew needed to hear what he had to say to them.

"What happened in that room was not by any stretch of the imagination an ordinary event. None of us could have speculated anything like that would happen. Each one of you acted with courage and unprecedented bravery. You went above and beyond the call of duty. No captain could be more proud of his crew." Nathan paused and added softly, "or of his friends."

"I can't even compare it to when SeaQuest was commandeered by Schrader. In that instance, you were in your own familiar surroundings with clear and concise protocols to follow." Nathan cast a glance at Jonathan knowing that the man would be ready to argue with him on that point. He raised his hand briefly to halt Jonathan from saying a word. "We couldn't even communicate with one another. We all had to find a way to work together without knowing what the other would do. We had to trust our instincts and our knowledge of what we knew about each other. It was hard for so many reasons." Nathan's voice broke as his eyes met Kristin's. "We had to stand by and watch one of our youngest members be brutally beaten and unable to lift a finger to help him." This time, tears did fall down Nathan's cheeks. He felt himself grow weak as he forced himself not to dig too deeply into how he felt about Lucas being so horribly hurt. The guilt was crushing him to the point that he was beginning to fold under the weight.

Kristin rose to her feet quickly and placed a gentle hand on Nathan's forearm. Nathan blinked a few times and cleared his throat. He closed his eyes for a few moments reminding himself that he needed to hold together just a little longer. He could do it. He opened his eyes to see Kristin looking at him with concern. He managed a weak smile of appreciation and turned his attention back to his crew, who were all quietly staring at him with concern written all over their faces.

"Are you alright, Nathan?" asked Kristin, worry in his voice.

Nathan patted her hand kindly and nodded. "I'm fine, just tired."

Nathan paced the room once more and stopped at the front of the room. He glanced at each of his crew and felt overwhelming pride.

"I guess I just wanted each of you to realise how proud I am of each of you. Every one of you was instrumental in making a horrendous situation more endurable. Thank you for your dedication and love for me, Lucas and each other."

Nathan felt his hands tremble. He'd reached his end. He couldn't make himself continue. He hadn't even touched on what he'd planned to say about Kristin. He wanted to commend her in front of the crew as well and acknowledge the numerous things she had done while in the Summit room. He couldn't even wrap his head around the amount of things he wanted to say about her professionalism and bravery. From helping a woman while she gave birth to counselling hostages and performing medical duties like stitches without the proper tools. Kristin was a hero of all heroes. Words couldn't even express how proud he was of her. He had told her privately a hundred times already but he wanted to do it publically as well, but his strength was gone. He just couldn't find the energy to continue. He was worn out.

Nathan felt his knees grow weak under his weight. He leaned on the table for balance and watched as Jonathan jumped to his feet; the man dragged a chair over to him and helped him sit down.

"Thanks, Commander."

Nathan looked at his crew, managing a warm smile. "No worries everyone, I'm just tired. You're all dismissed."

Nathan leaned back in his chair as he watched his crew leave the area. He heard the hushed conversation as they filed from the room. He relaxed somewhat taking solace in the dialogues he briefly heard. He was hoping he had opened the gates enough that his crew would seek each other out and talk to one another. Dialogue and conversation were needed in order for healing to occur. Nathan rubbed his eyes wearily. It had taken more energy than he thought to address each one of his crew. He could see the pain and anguish in each person's face. But after the time he had taken to address them and open the doors of communication, he had hope that his crew would mend with time. Nathan felt a warm hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Kristin and Jonathan still in the room. Both looked concerned.

Nathan shakily stood to his feet. "If you would both excuse me, I will be in my quarters."

Kristin frowned. "Are you sure you want to be alone, Nathan?"

"I'm just tired, Kristin. I'll be right as rain after a good night's sleep. Don't worry your pretty little head about me." Nathan looked at Jonathan. "Take the rest of the day off, Commander. You look like you need some time to rest as well." Jonathan opened his mouth to protest and Nathan frowned in expectation. "Don't make me have the doctor order you, Commander."

Jonathan nodded and excused himself from the room. Nathan looked at Kristin and sighed. His whole body felt like lead now. He had reached his end and he knew it. "Kris, I wanted to commend you in front of the crew-"

"Nathan, there is no need to-"

Nathan raised his hand. "Yes, there is. You were incredible under the worst circumstances. I can't even begin to-"

Kristin's eyes filled with tears again causing Nathan to pull her into a warm embrace. God, he loved her more than he ever realised her could. He thought he'd never love again after Carol but now his heart was filled with love once again. He still loved his wife and always would, but now his heart had made room for Kristin. And Lucas. Not wanting to release her under any circumstance, Nathan groaned when he felt himself trembling again. He needed to bid her goodbye. He didn't want her to see him break down.

Pulling away from her, Nathan said, "I need some time, Kristin."

She nodded, standing back and allowing him to walk to the door. Nathan looked at her briefly, trying to give her a reassuring smile and left the room. He needed to be alone. He'd reached the end of himself.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Thanks for the reviews everyone! They really make me smile!**_

 ** _Things are getting a little tense for Nathan..._**

 ** _xo_**

 ** _Jenny Wrens_**

Lucas wandered down the corridor lost in his thoughts. He'd checked all the normal places the crew worked in including the bridge, wondering where everyone was. He'd finally run into Phillips on the Mag-lev who'd informed him that the Captain had called some kind of mystery meeting with the senior crew and Dr. Westphalen. Lucas was trying to force himself to not feel annoyed that he'd been left out. Again. Captain Bridger had been treating him far too much like a kid since he'd returned back to SeaQuest. It was beginning to grate on his nerves more than he cared to admit. If the captain had called a meeting with the senior crew, he would have bet a week's salary it was about what transpired at the Summit Conference. Lucas felt he deserved to be involved and not sheltered. He tried to swallow his disappointment as he made his way to the Wardroom. He figured if the captain wanted a serious discussion, he would use the Wardroom. It was the largest conference room onboard. If they wouldn't include him, he'd include himself come what may.

Lucas reached the Wardroom soon enough and gingerly turned the handle on the hatch door, hoping to sneak in without too much drama. He was pleasantly surprised to find the door unlocked. He opened it as quietly as he could and peeked inside. His stomach ached when he noticed the one lonely red-headed figure sitting in a chair with her back to the door. He felt his heart leap to his throat knowing that he'd been avoiding her for the last several days. His head was screaming at him to retreat, but his heart was gently whispering to him that it was time he faced his fears and dealt with things head on. There's no time like the present, thought Lucas with an inaudible groan.

Stepping in the door, he said, "Doctor Westphalen, are you alright?"

Kristin jumped slightly as she turned her head, greeting him with a friendly smile.

"Who me?" she said, sounding surprised by his question. "I'm fine, sweetheart."

"Where did you come from? I thought Nathan—"

"Grounded me?"

Kristin grimaced. "I was going to say I thought Nathan said you were in your room," she said softly, giving him a pointed look.

"Oh, yah, I was." Lucas felt his face flush. He knew the captain and Kristin shared a lot so he figured the elder man would have confided in her that he was grounded. He silently reprimanded himself for being so sensitive about it. The captain really hadn't made that big of a deal about it. Not yet anyways. Although, Lucas felt it was only a matter of time until he did. Being grounded on a submarine hundreds of miles under the ocean truly sucked.

Lucas narrowed his eyes suddenly noticing the dark circles under her eyes as well as tears shimmering on her cheeks. Lucas saw her quickly brush away the evidence of her tears and invited Lucas to sit beside her. For some reason, it just didn't seem unusual anymore to find people on SeaQuest quiet, sullen and in tears. Lucas shook his head in dismay as he leaned against the hatch door, plunging his hands in his pockets. He felt uncomfortable seeing the remnants of emotion on her face. Lucas didn't know how to respond. He was having a hard enough time figuring out his own feelings lately and he didn't feel like he knew how to deal with anyone else's. He'd been purposely avoiding Kristin for days, not wanting to face her and deal with things he knew he needed to address. He had things he needed to say to her, but he couldn't find the words to express himself. He hated that he lacked eloquence, but he sincerely didn't know how to articulate how he felt. He knew that Kristin had risked her life for him more than once in the Summit room, and he knew he owed her his life. He just didn't know how to broach the subject with her. Everything that he said in his mind sounded lame and ridiculous. It seemed like avoiding her was the only sensible option he had, and he knew that couldn't last forever either.

"I haven't seen much of you since we came back to SeaQuest. Is your leg healing alright?" said Kristin, seemingly giving him a once over.

"Leg's fine, just a nasty scar but Dr. Levin said you did a fantastic job sewing me up. Didn't know you were such a good seamstress." Lucas smirked.

Kristin smiled. "I've been known to be creative under pressure."

"About that, I, uh, I'm sorry I was so angry at you."

Kristin waved a hand. "Don't be silly, sweetheart, you were hurting. Anger is a natural response to pain." She paused a moment and looked at him closely in the eye. "So, how are feeling? You ok?"

"I'm alright, I guess."

"You guess?" prompted Kristin.

Lucas felt his face grow warm. "Uh, Philips said the Captain called a meeting," he said, quickly attempting to take the focus away from him. "I must have missed the announcement." Lucas felt like he would bring up his missing the meeting just in case he had been meant to attend, and he had truly missed it.

Kristin rose to her feet, rubbing the back of her neck with an odd expression on her face. "It wasn't a meeting for you, sweetheart. Besides, Nathan wants you to take it easy-"

Lucas groaned loudly. "He seriously needs to stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Over-protecting me."

Kristin smiled at him.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You."

"Why?"

Kristin sighed. "Nathan is worried about you, Lucas. Frankly, so am I."

"Well, stop worrying. I'm fine."

Lucas knew his voice sounded harsh, but he had really grown tired of the overprotection from both the captain and her. Kristin shook her head and shrugged as she walked towards the refreshment table, pouring herself a glass of water. Lucas sat down feeling weary. He didn't have the energy to try and figure out Kristin's motives at that point. He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He had been so anxious to return to SeaQuest when he was at the hospital because he thought things would return to normal, but it had been more than three days and nothing had changed. In fact, he was even lonelier now and his feelings of guilt and fear had only gotten worse. He felt so isolated. It felt like no one talked to him anymore. Not even Ben. At least at the hospital, he had Mitch to hang out with, and the captain had made a point to talk and visit with him. Now he was just alone.

"Would you like a drink?"

"No, thanks. Doctor, have you heard from Mitch at all?"

Kristin carried her glass to the table and sat across from Lucas.

"As a matter of fact, I just spoke with him this morning. He told me that he's decided to accept my offer of a six-month tenure on SeaQuest."

Lucas felt his heart skip a beat in delight at the information. He really liked Mitch and the idea of him coming onboard excited him.

"Really?"

Kristin smiled warmly. "Really. He and Trinity will board SeaQuest in a week."

A smile played on his lips as Lucas digested the information, then just as quickly it dissolved into a frown.

"He wasn't mad about Trinity falling in? I was worried he might be mad at me-"

Kristin looked surprised. "Heavens, no. Lucas, that wasn't your fault, you know that don't you?"

Lucas chewed at his lip in uncertainty. He didn't know if it was his fault or not. He felt so guilt-ridden about everything that adding one more thing to the list didn't seem so out of the ordinary. Lucas looked at Kristin and suddenly felt overwhelmed, his mind becoming so unexpectedly flooded with memories that he felt sideswiped. He blinked back burning tears causing him to choke. He looked at Kristin, his blue eyes shimmering as he worked hard to blink back the tears that threatened to betray him. She pushed her glass of water across the table towards him, and Lucas took the glass, gratefully drinking a huge gulp to extinguish the tickle in his throat. He knew she would be wondering why he was acting so strangely.

"I hope you know that you're a hero, Lucas. Mitch is very grateful you had enough fortitude to plunge in that frigid water after Trinity. I'm proud of you as well. I searched everywhere for her when I dove in, but she'd fallen far deeper than I expected. Your quick thinking and cool composure saved that little girl's life."

Lucas nodded as he felt his cheeks become warm once again. He hadn't expected the praise from her. He knew he'd done the best he could in a very complicated situation. He hadn't meant to make her feel like he needed her to commend him. The way he was feeling in this moment had nothing to do with what happened with Trinity. He blinked a few times and pushed the glass back towards her. He stared into her green eyes for several minutes, his mind filling with the things he wanted to say to her. There was a lot Lucas wanted to say. It was just his thoughts were so muddled. And he wasn't good at sharing his thoughts and expressing his feelings. It felt like he had this big mental and emotional block in his head. Lucas swallowed the lump in his throat feeling like he might be sick to his stomach.

"Doctor," he began and then hesitated again.

He saw Kristin look at him, giving him her full attention. Looking at her made him realise how much he took her for granted. She always made a point of making herself available to him. Anytime he was sick or injured or even if he just needed someone to talk with, she was there ready to listen or lend her assistance. Ben told him how Kristin had stopped the bleeding in the Summit room after he was shot. Ben had been too weak to open his eyes or speak but he could hear everything around him. If anyone was a hero, it was Kristin. Lucas cleared his throat. He knew he just didn't have the words to express how he felt. He wasn't able to clear his mind enough to articulate himself.

"Ugh, I'm not good at this," began Lucas, well aware of how lame his words sounded even to his own ears.

Kristin raised a brow, looking concerned. For a moment, Lucas almost felt like laughing because he had come to be able to read her expressions. He knew she was thinking he wasn't feeling well and was afraid to tell her.

"Don't worry, I'm not sick or anything like that," reassured Lucas. He watched as her shoulders and brow relaxed almost instantly.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

The pet name pinched at his conscience. His mother never called him by any type of term of endearment. Kristin always used expressions like sweetie, honey, and sweetheart or dear when she was speaking with him privately. Not that he expected it from her or anyone, but it made him feel loved and like someone truly cared about him. It had taken him a while to get used to her when he first came on board. She seemed to make it her business to mother him. He hated it in the beginning, but he'd come to secretly like the attention and count on it and that alone surprised him.

"Lucas?" Kristin's voice sounded soft and caring, as she reached across the table and placed her warm hand on his. "Tell me what's bothering you, dear. Nathan never intended to leave you out of the loop when he called his meeting, you know that don't you? Nothing he said was a secret. He just needed to address some things with the crew and it was the simplest way to do it."

"No, no, I'm not upset about that…well, I'm irritated a little I guess, but I know I can talk to the captain later about it. I, uh, kinda wanted to tell you something." Lucas licked his lips as Kristin continued to look at him with concern on her face. Lucas pulled his hand away from hers and rose to his feet, turning to face the wall.

"I suck at this kind of thing and it's probably gonna sound really lame." Lucas spun on his heel and looked at her. He knew she needed to see his face and hear his voice. Maybe his words might sound utterly stupid but perhaps his face and eyes would say more than he could.

"I know you did a lot in that room for me. I know Dosa hurt you because you tried to protect me—"

"Sweetie, you don't—"

"Please, Kristin, just let me talk, okay. This is hard enough."

Kristin's eyes widened slightly but she clamped her mouth shut and nodded. Lucas could see tears shimmering in her eyes and that only served to make him feel worse. He wasn't going about this very well at all and if the captain were within hearing distance, he might have even have thought Lucas was being disrespectful. He didn't mean to come across that way. Lucas sighed. Nothing felt like it was going the way he intended lately, so why was he surprised he was screwing this up as well.

"I'm sorry for how I messed up. I'm sorry you were shot. It was my fault. If I hadn't of been in that room, none of you would have felt the need to be so protective and…" Lucas swallowed hard. Damn it, he thought, why can't I just spit it out? "Even when I got hurt, you still helped me and all I did was get mad. You stitched my leg with the friggin thread from a table cloth, for Pete's sake. You're amazing." Tears filled his eyes and he turned away from her again. He heard her chair move and he knew she was going to come closer to him. He took a deep breath working hard at keeping his emotions in check. He wasn't going to allow himself to cry like a baby. He was old enough to act like a man. Men apologised for their actions and made amends, and that was what he planned to do as well.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and blinked hard at the tears burning in his eyes. He needed to get a grip before he continued. He felt her hand on his forearm and he turned to look at her.

"Lucas, listen—"

He shook his head. "I'm not finished, Kristin. I'm sorry, I don't mean to disrespect you when I call you that and I know Captain Bridger doesn't like it either—"

"Sweetheart, my name is Kristin, and I have never minded you using it."

He nodded. He knew she didn't. And he felt he was old enough to remember to have respect without using titles, but he respected the Captain enough to know he was old school.

"I just wanted you to know that I realise all you did for me. I know Tim had to restrain you or you might have been killed because of me. I can never thank you enough for all you did for me…" Lucas dropped his head feeling embarrassed. The tears began to fall freely now, and he gave up trying to stop them. If he was going to real and allow himself to be open, Kristin needed to know his heart. He choked back a sob, not wanting to let his guard completely down if he could help it. He just didn't know how to say what was in his heart and he wished he did.

"Thanks for everything, Kristin. Just, uh, yah, thanks…"

Lucas awkwardly pulled his hands out his pockets and leaned in to hug her. It wasn't much and he sucked at it, but it was the only way he could show her what was in his heart. Lucas felt her arms pull him in closer. When he tried to pull away, she held him closer. He could hear her sniffling in his ear and his conscience kept berating him. He was old enough to take responsibility for his own actions, and he was going to do just that.

Lucas pulled away and looked at her. "So, once you and Dr. Levin clear me for work again, I figure I owe you a lot of grunt work on Seadeck. I can clean all the aquariums and all the lab equipment for you. I can do some of that backlog paperwork you love so much." She stared at him with tears rolling down her cheeks, seemingly at a loss for words. "And, uh, I guess, maybe the best thing I can do is lose some of the attitude when you ask me to do stuff for you." Lucas felt himself blush. He knew he could cop an attitude with the best of them when he didn't want to do something or he disagreed with her.

Kristin crossed her arms, reaching one hand up to wipe away tears from her cheeks. She sniffled a bit and then smiled at him. Lucas managed his own lopsided grin.

"You're something else, Lucas, do you know that?"

Lucas frowned. He wasn't sure what she meant. Did it mean she accepted his apology or was she going to scold him now? Lucas sucked on his lip in uncertainty.

"The minute I saw you the first time on SeaQuest, I knew you were going to be a force to be reckoned with. You were cocky, belligerent and just plain rude. But you know what? I loved you anyways. How could I not? Not only are you intelligent and articulate—and you are articulate even if you don't think so—you are also sweet, kind-hearted and a joy to be around. I love your exuberance for life and how you get so excited about learning new things. Your excitement is contagious, Lucas." Kristin reached out and poked his chest. "And you have a big heart. You love people. And I'm certain everyone else on SeaQuest would agree with me when I say that we love you too."

His dam burst open at her words. That was all it took to open the floodgates, and Lucas openly sobbed. He closed his eyes, hating himself for being so emotionally weak. It felt like all he did these days was cry and it was exhausting.

"H-how can anyone l-love me?"

"Oh, Lucas, how could we not? Sometimes I think you forget that you're a teenage boy. You're not supposed to know everything and do everything perfectly. You're supposed to make mistakes and mess up. The rest of us adults have already been there and made our mistakes. Give yourself permission to be a kid for a little while longer." Kristin reached out and pulled up his chin, looking into his blue eyes. "Childhood is short enough and you've already been robbed of so much of it. How about you just relax and let the adults take care of you for a while."

Kristin pulled him in for another hug, and Lucas rested his chin on her shoulder. He sniffled as his mind started to slow down and relax. He closed his eyes and allowed her presence to calm his nerves.

"I'm sorry, Kristin."

He felt Kristin squeeze him tighter and then pull away with a bright smile on her face.

"My heart is so full right now, Lucas. Do you want to know why?"

Lucas shook his head, his eyes wide and his expression curious.

"Because you're letting me in. You're letting down your defenses and finally letting us in so we can help you let this guilt go. I'm so proud of you, sweetie. I know it isn't easy. I carried so much guilt in the beginning and I blamed myself too. But you know what? It's not our burden to bear. It wasn't our fault. We are innocent. Dosa and his men are responsible for what happened. Not me and certainly not you."

Lucas nodded again, wiped away tears and took a deep breath finally letting go of his guilt and shame. And for once, he did. He felt such an overwhelming release like someone had suddenly lifted a heavy burden from his shoulders. He had been holding in the guilt for so long that he hadn't realised how much it had been controlling him. He finally felt some inner peace.

 _oOoOoOoOseaquestOoOoOoO_

Nathan tipped his head back in the shower, allowing the hot water to run over his face, neck and upper shoulders. He had adjusted the water to be super-hot, almost scalding him. He had also stayed under the shower head far longer than he should. UEO sanctions clearly dictated how long officers could shower for and he had far exceeded his allotment of water, but at this point, he no longer cared about rules and regulations. Nathan Hale Bridger was spent. He was physically, emotionally and spiritually finished. He had nothing left to give anyone including himself. Nathan reached for the handle of the faucet and switched it off, running his hands over his wet scalp and wiping the water from his eyes. He pulled back the curtain and could hardly see a thing through the built-up steam in the room. He reached for a towel, wiped his face as he stepped from the shower and used the towel to clear the mirror as well. He leaned into the glass and peered at his reflection numbly. His face was red and looked more weathered than normal.

"You're getting old, Nate," he mumbled to himself. He reached out and flipped on the fan to help clear the stream from the room. His skin was sore and irritated from the hot water. It had probably been a stupid idea to have such a hot shower, but Nathan felt like he needed to feel physical pain for once. He needed something to overwrite the deep-seated emotional pain he was feeling. He'd thought about going to the gym and pounding the crap out of the punching bag, but he didn't have the energy nor did he want to engage with people. He needed to be alone. He needed to find the time and energy to face himself and his own feelings of what happened in the Summit room. He'd been so busy trying to help piece everyone else back together, that he didn't have much stamina left to deal with his own grief.

So many emotions were storming through his head. Guilt, anger, shame, sadness, despair horror all assaulted him-far too many emotions to list and label and way too many to deal with all at the same time. Where did he start? What _was_ the right way to feel? Nathan grabbed his robe, pulling it on as he opened the door. He shivered when he walked out into his quarters. The room felt cold after having practically scalded himself to death. He walked across the room towards his small kitchenette and flipped the switch on the coffee maker. He glanced at the mugs stacked up neatly, white and glistening in the lights. The cleaners always did such an impeccable job at keeping his area stocked up with all the things he needed to make a cup of coffee. As the water came to a boil and began to percolate the coffee, images of white Styrofoam cups flashed in his mind. Before he had time to wrap his head around what was happening, the smell of coffee made his stomach churn and nausea hit him square in the face. He quickly put a hand to his mouth and rushed to the bathroom. He leaned over the toilet and emptied the contents of his stomach into the white bowl. Straightening out, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, flushing the vomit away.

"For the love of God, Nathan, keep it together, man," he muttered out loud.

He looked down at his hands and could see them trembling. He tried to hold them still but wasn't able to manage it. He stared in fascination as they shook and soon he felt his whole body followed suit. Nathan didn't know what to think as he sat leaning against the wall. He wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes as the tremors overtook his body. Soon tears began to fall as well. Nathan wasn't sure if he was losing his mind as his body seemed to overtake his reason. He forced his arms to grip himself tightly as he choked back sobs that seemed to rack his frame. Image after image flashed in his mind's eye: pictures of hostages being shot and tossed in a gruesome pile, images of Dosa brutally whipping Lucas with his belt and Nathan being helpless to do anything.

"Oh Gawd!" sobbed Nathan out loud, pain dripping from his voice as molten as the tears running down his face.

He dug his nails into his skin, feeling the physical pain of it but not being able to stop himself. His mind screamed at him as he choked back sobs. His body shook violently as he did everything he could to stay braced against the wall.

 _You're a coward, Nathan Bridger. You let Lucas endure such horrific things and what did you do? Just stand there! He could have been killed, yet you did NOTHING! What kind of man are you? What kind of captain are you? What kind of father are you to Lucas? Were you just going to stand by and let Dosa whip him to death?_

Nathan felt his stomach churn again and he heaved into the toilet once more. He grabbed the lid tightly with his fingers as his stomach convulsed over and over, ending in dry heaves. Trembling, he fell back against the wall once more.

 _You let that creep touch Kristin. You stood by while he hit her and dishonour her. How could you even look her in the eye knowing how much you failed at protecting her? You saw her pleading with you to stop Dosa…to stop him from hurting Lucas and from hurting her. YOU SAW IT! Yet, you did NOTHING! Innocent people died in that room and you stood by and watched it. What good is your military training if you can't act on it when you need it? You are an old, useless piece of garbage, Nathan. SeaQuest would be better off without you and so would Kristin. Hell, so would Lucas. You should have stayed on that island and died there. You couldn't save your son, you couldn't save Carol and you sure as hell can't save anyone else. You're useless!_

Nathan put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the voices berating him in his head. The more he tried to block them out, the louder they sounded in his head. The tremors seemed to increase ten-fold so that he couldn't even stand to his feet. His stomach churned and as he struggled to lean over the toilet again, his hand slipped and he smacked his face on the side of the bowl. He tasted blood as he tried to vomit again only, this time, nothing came out. His stomach convulsed in dry heaves as blood dripped into the water. Resting his head on his arm, he stared at the blood dripping into the water. The sight brought on more horrific images from the Summit room, and he just laid there sobbing heart-wrenching cries into the porcelain bowl. He didn't feel like he had the energy to move as his mind relentlessly assaulted him with horrifying images. Images that he felt would forever be imprinted in his mind wrapped in horrendous, paralysing remorse.


	33. Chapter 33

**_Note from Jenny :)_**

 ** _Special thanks to Angel, Jujuone23 and Jewel -you three ROCK on the reviews and encouragement factor. THANKS!_**

 ** _To all my other readers...thanks for reading along...there are a lot of quiet people who are reading along and I hope you are enjoying it._**

 ** _This story has pretty much come to close. Just maybe one more little tidbit left._**

 ** _Otherwise, this chapter is for all you shippers out there. My favourite relationship is Lucas and Nathan and their father/son bond, but I have grown closer to Kristin's character while writing this story. I hope you enjoy :)_**

 ** _all my love to you all,_**

 ** _Jenny Wrens_**

A smile played on Kristin's lips as she wandered down the corridor to her quarters. She had a skip in her step for the first time since the hostage crisis. She was beginning to feel more like herself once again. She was starting to feel like doing some of the things she enjoyed, and now, with Lucas' releasing some of his pent-up emotions, she felt even more light-hearted. When she'd left the Wardroom, she'd seen Miguel cheerfully shove Tim towards the wall as he beelined for the steps first. She could have sworn she heard Tim's cheerful giggle as he called after Miguel. When she was on the mag-lev heading towards sea deck, she overheard Ben and Katie sharing a laugh together. It sounded like music to her ears to hear laughter again. It had been too long. It brought a smile to her face then and an even bigger one now as she stood in front of her hatch door. It wasn't much, but the atmosphere was feeling just a little bit lighter with less tension in the air. Suddenly, Kristin turned on her heel, deciding that she would seek out Nathan. She felt certain that he would want to know about her conversation with Lucas, as well as a few of the things she'd observed around the ship. It might not have been something to write home about, but it was definitely a start, and Kristin was more than willing to take it.

Kristin hummed to herself as she made her way to Nathan's quarters. It felt like a breath of fresh air to have some good news to share for a change. Earlier that morning, before the meeting in the wardroom, both Nathan and she had been talking about how much they'd missed the laughter and general feeling of comradery on the boat. Kristin felt like Nathan had done such a good job at clearing the air and encouraging everyone to open up that perhaps the crew had listened and taken his words to heart. It almost seemed like there was a feeling of healing lingering in the air-like an emotional inoculation had occurred. Perhaps on some level, it had. Nathan's words had reached the hearts of his crew and maybe now, it might be possible for people to heal and move forward.

Once she reached Nathan's quarters, she knocked lightly on the hatch door. She wasn't sure if he had decided to turn in for the evening or if he would still be awake. She glanced at her watch and noticed that it was barely past 20:00 hours. Figuring it was more likely that he was awake, she put her ear to the door and vaguely heard some noise in the background. She tried the hatch door and smiled when she found it unlocked. She knew Nathan wouldn't mind if she let herself in. She peered around the door and didn't see him around the room. She noticed the light under the door to the bathroom, so she let herself in and closed the hatch behind her. The room smelled like freshly brewed coffee, shampoo and an oddly sour smell she couldn't place. She wrinkled her nose as she curled up on the sofa and waited for Nathan to return from the washroom. Leaning her head back against the cushion, a smile graced her face once again as she remembered her conversation with Lucas. It just made her feel so relieved that the boy had finally released his burden to her. She hoped to discuss it more with Nathan. Between the two of them, they would be able to help Lucas so much more, knowing what he was thinking.

An odd sounding muffled noise echoed out into the room causing Kristin to frown in uneasiness. The sound felt somewhat familiar to her as she rose to her feet walking quickly to the door. She didn't want to startle Nathan by her presence but the sound had given her cause for concern.

She knocked on the door, "Nathan, are you alright?" She put her ear to the door and listened closely, hearing nothing. She pressed her ear closer and frowned when she heard retching. Was Nathan ill?

"Nathan, it's Kristin, I let myself in. Are you ill?"

No answer.

Kristin knocked on the door again. Her hand went to the handle and she chewed her lip as she turned it slowly. Her gut was telling her that it wasn't an invasion of privacy so much as a genuine act of concern. She was a doctor and she would be able to help if he was sick. She opened the door and looked around the corner, hoping she wouldn't be seeing anything that would embarrass either one of them. Her eyes widened in dismay when she saw Nathan leaning against the wall, white as a sheet of paper, his body convulsing in tremors. She threw open the door and knelt beside him, placing a warm hand on his brow.

"Nathan, what's the matter?"

"C-can't s-stop the shaking," he managed.

Kristin surveyed the room, took in the smell and Nathan's condition, knowing full well what was going on. She put a firm hand on his forearm and offered an understanding smile.

"They'll stop in time, Nathan. It's your body's way of dealing with anxiety." She eyed his split lip with concern and rose to her feet to get a cold cloth to put on it. Kneeling back down she gently applied the cool fabric to his lip as his winced. "If you weren't so stubborn, Nathan Bridger…" Kristin heaved a sigh as she looked at him. Her heart ached as she saw the pain and anguish on his face. It was easy to see that the man had finally succumbed to his own grief. It had only been a matter of time.

"Can you stand?"

Nathan nodded and attempted to do so, only to stumble and fall back to his spot against the wall, overcome with more tremors. Tears remained on his cheeks and his face was pale.

"Lean on me, Nathan." Kristin used what strength she could muster to help Nathan to his feet and out of the unbelievably hot, sour smelling restroom. She stifled a little groan of her own, feeling her mending ribs complain at the added pressure on them. She helped him to the sofa and gently eased him down. She helped him get comfortable by placing several cushions behind his back.

"C-could you get rid of that coffee?" Nathan managed to choke out before leaning his head back onto the sofa and closing his eyes.

Kristin licked her lips in wonderment but obliged and dumped the brown liquid down the drain. She looked into the lower cupboards hoping to find the kettle. Nathan usually kept one on hand for her, along with some of her favourite herbal teas. She chose a peppermint tea and tossed a bag into a cup while she plugged in the kettle. All the while she kept an eye on Nathan who was still trembling but, to her trained eye, she could already see that the tremors were dissipating. _Oh, Nathan, you want to be strong for everyone else but you can't keep brushing your own emotions under the rug._ Kristin crossed an arm around her waist as she waited for the water to come to a boil. It was obvious that Nathan had let things go too long and he was going to need some help dealing with what happened. Her mind wandered for several minutes as she thought back to all the ways Nathan had worked to help others since he came out of his coma at the hospital. He'd been healing physically while he answered questions from the police and UEO personnel, dealt with some much with Lucas, and he kept abreast on everything to do with SeaQuest. He hadn't dropped the ball even once, all the while keeping himself completely calm, collected and professional. Meanwhile, inside, his walls were slowly deteriorating and his foundation—his body— was being obliterated. The kettle whistled and from the corner of her eye, she saw Nathan's body jolt. The tremors had stopped but he was definitely on edge.

Kristin made the tea and brought it over to the table, setting it down gently.

"I made you some peppermint tea, Nathan. Try some; it might settle your stomach." She saw him roll his head sideways, away from the aroma of the tea. "Are you feeling any better?" His eyes popped open and Kristin could see that his pupils were still dilated.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He sat up more and leaned forward on his knees. "The smell of that coffee seemed to pull the carpet out from under me. I never saw it coming. Is the flu going around the boat?"

Kristin smiled, picking up the warm tea and handing it to him. Nathan waved his hand, trying to avoid the mug with a grimace on his face. Kristin continued holding it out to him.

"The peppermint will help with nausea; c'mon, doctor's orders." She cast him a stern look and after a few moments, he dropped his shoulders and took the mug. Kristin watched him as he took a sip and made a sour face. He set the cup on the table in front of him.

"Trying to kill me, Doctor?"

"I think you're doing a fine job on our own, Captain." She clasped her hands together and looked at him in concern. "You and I both know you don't have the flu, Nathan."

His head jerked up and their eyes met. "I'm fine, Kris." Kristin watched as he attempted to rise to his feet, only to lose his balance and land back on the sofa. His hands were trembling as he inhaled a deep breath. Tears were shimmering in his eyes.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"How about you share with me what's bothering you?"

"It's that damned coffee—"

"Nathan, you don't need to be everyone's hero, okay? Lucas is on the mend. The crew is going to be okay. I even saw some of the guys goofing off on the way here. They will be fine. You will be fine too, in time, but right now, you are certainly not fine."

Nathan ran a shaky hand through his still damp hair. The perspiration on his forehead was shining in the light of the living area. Then he looked up at her with a dark expression in his eyes, a pained, damaged look.

"Kris," he hesitated as several tears escaped his dark brown eyes. "I'm so sorry." He put his face into his hands and his emotional dam burst. Kristin jumped from her chair and enveloped him in her arms as he began to sob. She held him tightly as deep guttural sobs convulsed his body. Her own eyes filled with tears as she watched the man she'd grown to love, fight the monsters in his head.

"Oh Nathan, you have nothing in the world to be sorry for," she whispered into his ear as he wept. She knew that he wouldn't hear it. She knew that he was too lost in his personal hell and anguish to be able to hear much of anything she could say. Instead, she just held him, rubbing circles on his back, trying to send him as much love as she could muster. Nathan Bridger was a strong leader, a formidable man who commanded respect from his crew, but he was also a sensitive and compassionate man as well. To know Nathan was to like him. Kristin didn't know anyone who didn't like Nathan. Well, anyone worth anything. Nathan had a big heart and he loved people. She knew his heart was crumbling to pieces as he tried to come to terms with everything that had happened and possibly what he thought could have happened.

"I'm so sorry, Kris; I should have stopped him. It shouldn't have gone for so long! I should have k-killed the bastard myself." Nathan pulled away from her, his face and eyes red from the emotional breakdown. His hands were still trembling as he gained enough momentum to rise to his feet. The mug of tea which had been perched precariously on the edge of the coffee table toppled to the floor as he bid a hasty retreat across the room, putting his hands on his head. Kristin sucked in her lip feeling her heart rapidly beating in her chest.

"You did the best you could, Nathan—"

"No, no, I didn't," he shouted.

Kristin felt herself flinch. Nathan didn't usually raise his voice and very rarely did she see him angry.

"I let myself think too much. I'm slammed in the face with all that I let that son of a bitch do to you…and to L-Lucas." Nathan choked back another heart-wrenching sob.

"Nathan, you didn't _let_ him do anything. Your hands were tied—"

Nathan shook his head as he turned to face her. "NO!" His voice echoed in the room. "I was in control. I knew what he was capable of and I allowed it to go too far!" He pounded his fist into the wall fiercely and leaned his head against his fist.

Kristin rose to her feet and walked towards him, keeping her distance in case his anger escalated. She felt fear rise up with her and thought it wise to listen to it. She hadn't ever seen this angry side of Nathan and it was disconcerting.

"Nathan, you couldn't have predicted anything Dosa did. No one could have. Yes, you were in control of negotiation, but there was no way you could have foreseen what would happen."

Nathan shook his head and lifted it to look at her; a sarcastic laugh fell from his lips.

"You don't get it, do you?" He looked incredulous. "It was my job to keep people safe and I failed. I couldn't stop him from killing people, I couldn't stop him from beating Lucas," A pained expression painted across his face. "He beat my son with a belt, Kristin! A friggin belt. As if he wasn't scarred enough from Wise and his lunacy. Do you know what he told me? Lucas thought that I thought he deserved it, and that's why I let him get beaten." Nathan punched the wall again. "He thought I was Dosa's friend and that I was so pissed off at him that I let Dosa beat him because he deserved it for sneaking into the room and disobeying me."

"Nathan, Lucas was seeing things from his 15-year-old eyes and his guilty conscience. He knows you didn't let it happen because you thought he deserved it. He's smarter than that. It wasn't your fault!"

Nathan shook his head and ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his head to his neck. His incredulous laugh continued as he shook his head again.

"That imbecile touched you. I was standing right there and he had the nerve to dishonour you in front of my face." Nathan held up his hands and looked at them. "I should have wrapped my hands around his neck and snapped it like a toothpick!" The words came out punctuated with dripping venom. The rage on his face made Kristin shiver. She knew it was just a normal way to process pain, but it still frightened her. She found her courage to step closer to him and touch him. He flinched at her touch and looked at her. His eyes narrowed slightly and then softened.

"It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done, Nathan, and deep down you know that. You were doing the best you could under some very complex circumstances. If you had acted in those moments, you could be d…" Kristin choked back a sob of her own at this point as she reflected on the reality of the situation. If Nathan had reacted any other way but how he did, Dosa or one of his men would have shot and killed him. Period. It was just that simple. "He would have killed you, Nathan, and I couldn't have survived that." Kristin covered her mouth to stifle more sobs that consumed her. Her eyes met his and she felt him pull her into a tight embrace. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"You did everything exactly right, Nathan, because you got out alive and that's more important to me and Lucas than any act of chivalry you could have done in that blasted room." She put a hand to her mouth to stop a louder sob from escaping. She felt him pull away and look deeply into her eyes. "I love you, Nathan Bridger. You have nothing to apologise for. You need to accept that and forgive yourself, and then let it go."

Nathan held her at arm's length, blinking back tears that still cascaded down his cheeks. He reached up and held her face in his large, rough hands, wiping tears away with his thumbs. He leaned in closer and ever so gently touched his lips to hers. Kristin felt a bolt of electricity radiate throughout her body as she hungrily kissed him back. She felt him pull her closer and his gentle kiss became as hungry and passionate as hers. Kristin allowed herself to get lost in his arms and lips, so much so that she feared she would suffocate but she still didn't want to pull away. Finally, they were both forced to break apart, gasping for breath. Nathan continued to look at her as he licked his lips then he leaned in and gently, teasingly, bit at her lower lip before pulling away.

"Thanks, Kristin," he said, simply. He reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her back to the sofa. Kristin followed him and he sat down, pulling her onto his lap.

"I don't think I can let you go. My head is screaming at me to stop, but my body is wanting much more." He hugged her close.

Kristin could hear her pulse beating in her inner ear. She didn't want to stop either. After everything they'd been through, it felt like it was time to stop playing games. One or both of them could have died in that room. Life was too short to continue playing games. Kristin leaned against him, soaking in his warmth and love. As much as she wanted things to continue, she knew that Nathan needed some time to process things and more time to talk. She planned to be his listening ear and confidant for as long as necessary.

"You need some time to deal with things, Nathan. And as much as I want to continue, we need to make sure you're okay before—"

Nathan put a finger on her lips. He leaned forward and kissed her again. Kristin closed her eyes as her backside slipped off Nathan's knee and onto the sofa. She laid back, feeling completely past being able to withstand her own passions. She loved Nathan and his current emotional state of mind aside, she knew he loved her. He leaned closer and kept kissing her until he took her breath away. Her body was becoming alive and beginning to take over her common sense. Finally, she put her hands up to his face and said his name gently.

"Nathan."

He opened his eyes and looked at her. She could see the love in his eyes. Some of the pain had gone and the anguish was less apparent than before. She still knew he was hurting and dealing with so much but being the man he was, he was trying to push it aside once more as a more prevalent need became more pressing on his psyche.

"I love you, Kristin."

She smiled and ran her hand through his hair. "I know you do. Let's just take this slowly, okay. We both need some time to process this."

Nathan sighed and nodded, reaching out to help her sit up. Kristin sat up and leaned against him as he embraced her.

"If I could have stopped him, I would have. You know that, right?"

She turned and looked at him with all the love and understanding she could muster.

"I know, Nathan."

She put her hands on his face and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, then leaned against him quietly. It would take some time, but they would be okay.


	34. Chapter 34

**_Note from Jenny:_**

 ** _Well, we've reached the end of Stalling for Time. Hope you've enjoyed the story._**

 ** _I appreciated all the reviews and encouragement I received along the way. Thanks for reading along._**

 ** _Stay tuned for the next installment in this universe._**

 ** _God bless :)_**

Nathan ended the link, puffing out his cheeks and rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock and looked around his quarters with a smile realising he'd worked his first eight-hour day in over six weeks. He felt tired, but it was a good, useful kind of tired rather than an emotionally, drained fatigue. It felt refreshing to him and he embraced it. He'd just finished discussing more about the toxin situation near Devil's Hole with Admiral Noyce. Two more people had fallen ill and the ailment had been directly associated with cyanobacteria. The situation had become quite precarious; so much so that the Secretary General had ordered SeaQuest to the area immediately. The submarine had been slowly meandering its way there over the past week or so, but not with any urgency. After today, they would need to step up the pace and make haste to the area. Nathan had openly voiced his concern with rushing his crew back into something so serious so quickly after the hostage crisis, but his concerns had been brushed aside. Kristin, along with Joshua Levin had also strongly disagreed, suggesting that each member have more time to digest and deal with their individual trauma. The UEO was sympathetic to their plights but in reality, their hands were tied. Toxins in the ocean traveled fast with the currents and tides; the consequences of neglecting the situation could essentially prove to be devastating. And considering that the world was beginning to heal and repair itself after the horrific world wars and environmental devastation, the UEO couldn't afford to risk any cataclysmic events.

Nathan left his desk and walked across the room to look in the mirror. His dark eyes had some of that familiar fiery spark back in them and physically, he felt like he was back to his old self. Technically, he wasn't supposed to be back on active duty quite yet, but the circumstances dictated that he resume command anyways. He scrubbed a hand across his face thoughtfully as a soft smile played on his lips. In all honesty, he was glad to be back at work. He always felt alive when he was busy and had things to occupy his mind. He grimaced at his scruffy appearance.

"You need a shave, Nate," he mumbled to himself. His gaze lingered on his reflection. "Or maybe you should grow a beard." He tipped his head up further, imagining himself with a full beard like he'd often grown on his island. Then he chuckled and shook his head. Who was he fooling? The military liked clean shaven faces.

He walked across the room and grabbed his notebook from his desk. The one respectable thing the UEO had made good on, in light of the current and upcoming commission, was insisting that all the crew get counseling. Each of his senior crew including Kristin and him had been given personal counselors to help manage the events of hostage ordeal. Nathan had made sure that Eric Petersen continued working with Lucas as well. If the crew was going to be able to function well, they needed time to heal and work through the shock and tumultuous, deep-seated emotions. He'd made everyone aware that his door would always be open to discuss anything should the need arise. He was slowly beginning to let go of his own distress and guilt, mostly due to the fact that he had Kristin and Lucas. The three of them had been spending a great deal of time together becoming more and more their own little family entity. While the crew was an extended family of sorts, the trio had become a cohesive and intimate family. He pinched his nose briefly as he allowed himself to reflect on a time past before his wife had died—before Robert died. He was feeling some of that same fulfillment and it felt scary and wonderful at the same time.

A gentle knock was heard at his door and he turned towards the sound.

"Enter," he said, walking towards the hatch to greet whoever was there.

A blond head peeked around the door and offered him a cursory lop-sided grin.

"Hi. Captain, you busy?"

"Nope. Just finished up for the day. What are you up to?"

"Oh, about 5'6 today, sir." Lucas' eyes twinkled with mischief.

Nathan reached forward and pulled the cheeky teenager into the room with a laugh.

"Wise-guy." Nathan's heart thumped a little lighter in his chest as he enjoyed the levity the boy brought with him. Lucas seemed to be doing so much better since he'd allowed himself to really open up. His counselor, Eric, had been giving Nathan glowing reports about his progress and overall, Nathan was very relieved. "I thought you had an appointment with Eric at 18:30 today."

Lucas shrugged as he shut the hatch door and tossed himself on the sofa with a groan. He kicked off his shoes and put his feet up, making himself at home.

"I canceled it," he said matter-of-factly.

"Why, Lucas?"

"Because."

Nathan sighed, suddenly feeling concerned. "Okay, you've got my attention, kiddo. Why did you cancel your appointment?" Nathan sat down across from him wrinkling his nose when he caught wind of Lucas' smelly socks. "Whew, those socks have seen better days."

Lucas blushed and removed his feet from the sofa. "Uh, sorry Captain."

"Why did you cancel your appointment, Lucas?" reiterated Nathan, looking at him sternly.

"Don't go postal on me, sir. I, uh, just wanted to spend some time with you instead." Lucas chewed on his lip as he looked at Nathan sheepishly. Nathan softened and patted the boy on the knee.

"I'm flattered that you want to spend some time with me, but Lucas, these appointments are important-"

"I know," interrupted Lucas, looking uncomfortable. "It's just, well, I've been thinking a lot about stuff, and Eric and I have been talking about some things and well, I kinda wanted to talk about some stuff with you instead today." Lucas dropped his gaze to the floor and heaved a sigh that sounded discouraged.

Nathan tapped the boy on the leg gently. "What's on your mind, kiddo?"

Lucas rose to his feet and began to pace back and forth, rubbing his hands on his jeans awkwardly. "Well, it's just that I, um, really think you should let me, uh, well, you see, I've been thinking I'm ready to…" Lucas hesitated and sighed loudly all the while keeping his eyes from making contact with Nathan's.

Nathan stood to his feet and walked towards Lucas, grasping his arm gently and turning him to face him. "Look at me, Lucas."

Lucas lifted his chin and looked at him.

"You are radiating enough discomfort and distress to give me a coronary. Just spit it out, kid."

Lucas dropped his shoulders. "Can I go back to my duties, Captain? I'm going out of my mind sitting around and playing video games. I need to have something to challenge my neuro pathways before I go crazy!"

Nathan smirked. He knew exactly what Lucas was feeling. It had felt great to be back at work and feel useful again, to somehow gain back some kind of normalcy which Nathan was sure they all craved. He knew that Lucas would be itching to get back on the bridge and lend his hand in the science department. It was just he worried about the boy's mental well-being. He didn't want to push things too quickly and even Eric suggested giving Lucas time to just be a kid without added pressures.

"Sit down, Lucas and let's discuss this a little."

Lucas' face reddened as he stared at Nathan. It was pretty obvious he was trying to read him and guess what Nathan was going to say. Lucas took a few steps back and plunged his hands in his pockets. Nathan inwardly sighed knowing the telltale signs of Lucas putting his back up and expecting the worst.

Nathan put a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Don't jump to conclusions, ok? Please have a seat."

Lucas sighed and obeyed, sitting down but certainly not looking relaxed.

"I admit getting back to work today has been pure bliss. First time in a long time that I felt like I accomplished something useful."

"Exactly why I want to get back at it—"

"I understand that, Lucas, but it's different with you. You are 15 years old and I'm worried jumping back into things will be too much for you. Eric wants you to take time to relax and just—"

"Be a kid?" Lucas groaned in disgust. "Look, Captain, you and I both know that I'm not like any normal kid. I _need_ to get back to work."

Nathan nodded. He recognized and respected that Lucas wasn't like other kids his age. He thrived on being busy and active on the ship.

"Ok, tell ya what, you can start working four-hour shifts beginning tomorrow if you promise _not_ to blow off any more appointments with Eric."

Lucas' face brightened and he nodded cheerfully, starting to babble a mile a minute about all he wanted to accomplish and start immediately.

Nathan held up his hand with a chuckle at the kid's excited enthusiasm. "Alright, alright, just promise me you will take it easy and still make time for Darwin and me."

Lucas smiled. "Of course, captain, although, maybe I ought to say the same thing."

Nathan frowned. "What do you mean by that? I always make time for you."

Mischief played in Lucas' eyes. "Except when you're kissing Kristin."

Nathan felt his cheeks grow warm. The kid was on to him. Maybe it was time to have a chat with the boy and see what he thought about the whole idea of Kristin and him being, well, involved, so to speak. Nathan frowned as it dawned on him that Lucas had called her Kristin. Usually, Lucas didn't refer to Kristin by her given name. It sounded odd in his ears to hear Lucas speak of her by her name.

"Does it bother you, Lucas?"

Lucas' face became serious as he made bold eye contact with Nathan. Nathan could see the wheels turning in the boys head. Nathan wasn't his father, but he was his guardian. Nathan knew Lucas counted on him and looked at him as a father.

"No, sir. I like Kristin."

"It doesn't bother you that we spend a lot of time together?"

Lucas fidgeted on the sofa. "Not really, I guess."

"You guess?"

Lucas sucked his lip in and then rubbed his hand across his mouth. "It's just going to take some getting used to is all." He offered Nathan a sheepish grin. "She makes you happy, doesn't she, Captain?"

Nathan reached out and messed up his hair. "Yes, she does, and so do you."

Lucas smiled.

"Let's go get something to eat and you can tell me why, all of sudden, you've decided to call Dr. Westphalen by her given name."

Nathan didn't miss the hue of colour that brushed across Lucas' cheeks as he rose to his feet. Putting a gentle hand on the boys back, he ushered Lucas to the door, opening the hatch.

Lucas shrugged his shoulders with a smirk. Nathan could see the hint of mischief twinkling in his eyes. Things were getting back to a new kind of normal, and he realised he was okay with that reality. It felt good to feel any kind of normal. It felt good to feel like they all had hope and a future again. Despite all the hard times and all the feelings of guilt, despair, and blame, they were all going to get through it and they were going to be okay. Life was going to continue on. Nathan smiled as he walked out his door, listening to Lucas chatter away. He felt at peace and looked forward to what the future would bring.


End file.
